Meghan Markle's California-style living room at cosy Frogmore Cottage is not what you'd expect

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are immersed in the California way of living at their home in Montecito with their two kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, but they had already been drawing influence from the States long before they made their transatlantic move.

For their 2018 wedding, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were given their Windsor home Frogmore Cottage. It became not only their marital home but also Prince Archie's first house.

While it acted as a private retreat for the couple while they were living there, they have since released footage of the interiors as they documented their love story and struggles with the press in their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.

One still shows heavily pregnant Meghan looking out of the large window in their living room. The walls had been decorated with textured-looking paint that gave the space depth and dimension, while modern, minimalistic furniture kept the cosy room feeling spacious and airy.

A cream sofa was positioned against the wall and topped with scatter cushions, while another armchair sat on the other side of the glass coffee table where a giant hard-cover book sat. If that didn't offer enough seating for friends and family, they could also make use of the chaise lounge with wooden feet and studded detailing.

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Tucked in the corner next to the former Suits actress was an indoor tree, creating a sense of indoor-outdoor living which was only furthered with the abundance of natural light.

Despite the fact that the five-bedroom property was significantly more modest than their current £12 million nine-bedroom mansion, both are decked out with similar interiors.

Photos of their current lounge show it features the same neutral and light interiors, including white linen sofas, monochromatic artwork by Barloga Studios and homely decorations such as Diptyque candles.

Meghan described the home as "calm and healing" during an interview with The Cut.

She added: "We did everything we could to get this house. Because you walk in and go … Joy. And exhale. And calm. It’s healing. You feel free."

Frogmore Cottage transformation

The cottage was built in 1860 and sits on the estate where the Frogmore Mausoleums and the Royal Burial Ground sit as the final resting places of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and Edward VIII. It was transformed from five separate living quarters into one large property.

Meghan and Harry had invested £2.4 million of taxpayer money via the Sovereign Grant to renovate Frogmore Cottage before moving in. This included replacing ceiling beams, floor joists, heating, gas, electrical systems, and re-plumbing.

However, when they stepped back as senior members of the royal family and made America their main base, they paid back the money in full. The property was briefly used by Prince Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, but they now split their time between Portugal and the UK with their young sons August and Ernest.

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