Prince Harry felt it was a "cruel rejection" when he was told to give up Frogmore Cottage by the King, said a royal expert.

The Sussexes finally handed back keys of Frogmore Cottage to Charles on June 28 last year, nearly six months after being served their eviction notice. The couple's remaining possessions were shipped to California from their former residence, not long after they gave the Windsor property a £2.4million makeover.

And Courtier Sir Michael Stevens confirmed at the time: "We can confirm that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have vacated Frogmore Cottage. Safe to say that, as has previously been stated, the duke and duchess have paid for the expenditure incurred by the Sovereign Grant in relation to the renovation of Frogmore Cottage, thus leaving the Crown with a greatly enhanced asset."

It meant that the Sussexes no longer have a UK home and have to rely on hotels, friends or friends when they visit. And royal author Tom Quinn said that for Harry it was the "last straw," claiming that the Duke was reduced to tears by the decision from Charles.

Frogmore Cottage was gifted to the Sussexes by Queen Elizabeth (
Image:
REX/Shutterstock)

"At the time, few people realized what a slap in the face the eviction from Frogmore felt like for Harry — it was the last straw," he told The Mirror. "Harry was absolutely furious and in tears about being evicted from Frogmore — he felt his father had no right to do it and that it was purely vindictive."

"Harry couldn't see that choosing to stop being a working royal would inevitably mean being deprived of his royal residence. Harry took it as a cruel rejection — a painful reminder of all that he felt when his father fought with his mother during their long drawn out, painful divorce," Quinn added.

The Sussexes initially lived at Frogmore Cottage after getting married (
Image:
Getty Images)

"Whenever Charles puts his foot down, it seems unfair to Harry who feels that after everything that has happened to him, he should always get whatever he wants whether that be security paid for by the British taxpayer or a luxurious UK home."

The author concluded: "For many Harry is just a poor little rich kid behaving like a spoiled brat, but Harry sees himself as the eternal victim."

In Harry's tell-all memoir Spare, he claimed that he and Meghan were "evicted" from the cottage after their decision to leave the royal family, with Charles asking them to leave. He had initially seen it as their "forever home" after it was gifted to him and his wife by the late Queen.