{{Short description|House in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use British English|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox building | name = Nottingham Cottage | former_names = | alternate_names = Nott Cott | status = | image = Hyde Park London from the air.jpg | image_alt = | caption = View of the Kensington Palace grounds | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_alt = | map_caption = | building_type = House | architectural_style = | structural_system = | cost = | ren_cost = | client = | owner = Crown Estate | current_tenants = | landlord = | location = | address = | location_town = London | location_country = England | coordinates = {{Coord|51.50582|-0.18870|format=dms|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | groundbreaking_date = | construction_start_date = | completion_date = | renovation_date = | height = | roof = | top_floor = | floor_count = | floor_area = {{Convert|1324|sqft|sqm|0}} | architect = Christopher Wren | awards = | designations = | ren_architect = | ren_firm = | ren_str_engineer = | ren_serv_engineer = | ren_civ_engineer = | ren_oth_designers = | ren_qty_surveyor = | ren_awards = | url = }} <mapframe text="Cluster of outbuildings associated with Kensington Palace, including Nottingham Cottage" width=242 height=242 zoom=18 latitude=51.50582 longitude=-0.1887/> '''Nottingham Cottage''' is a house in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London, England.<ref name=WomanHome>{{cite news|url=http://www.womanandhome.com/life/homes/inside-nottingham-cottage-prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-s-new-home-204933/|title=Inside Nottingham Cottage, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new home|date=15 May 2018|work=Woman & Home|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref> As a grace-and-favour property, the house has been frequently occupied by members of the British royal family, as well as staff and employees.
==Design and location== Nottingham Cottage is a house on the grounds of Kensington Palace.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nottingham Cottage: The Kensington home where the Sussex's live as a married couple |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/05/20/nottingham-cottage-kensington-home-meghan-harry-will-live-married/ |website=The Telegraph |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref> The ceilings are noted for their lowness, so previous residents the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex have had to stoop to avoid hitting their heads.<ref name=TelegApr18/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Yossman |first1=K. J. |title='Harry & Meghan' Volume II Most Explosive Claims: Prince William 'Bullied' the Couple Out of the Royal Family, King Charles 'Lied' About Them |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/harry-meghan-volume-ii-royal-family-lying-1235461194/ |website=Variety.com |access-date=2022-12-18 |date=15 December 2022}}</ref> Marion Crawford, who resided at the cottage from 1948 to 1950, described it as "a dream 'of seasoned red brick{{nbsp}}... with roses round the door'."<ref name="Bradford"/> It is {{Convert|1324|sqft|sqm|0}} in size.<ref name=TelegApr18>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/nottingham-cottage-cosy-love-nest-will-prince-harry-meghan-markles/|title=Nottingham Cottage: Meghan and Harry's cosy two-bed home in Kensington|date=11 April 2018|author=Victoria Ward|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=18 May 2018}}</ref><ref name="Carroll2010">{{cite book|author=Leslie Carroll|title=Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and Desire|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TcXWrhvBc8YC&pg=PT456|date=5 January 2010|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-1-101-15977-4|pages=456–}}</ref> It stands near two other grace-and-favour houses, Ivy Cottage and Wren Cottage.<ref name="Burrell2007">{{cite book|author=Paul Burrell|author-link=Paul Burrell|title=The Way We Were: Remembering Diana|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_TeCEIYjp1gC|year=2007|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=978-0-00-725263-3}}</ref>
The house was designed by Christopher Wren. Its name derives from ''Nottingham House'', the former residence of Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham: in 1689, the second Earl sold the property to William III and Mary II, who developed the estate as ''Kensington House'', later Kensington Palace.<ref name=TelegApr18/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Lysons |first1=Daniel |title=Kensington Pages 170-230 The Environs of London: Volume 3, County of Middlesex. |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-environs/vol3/pp170-230 |website=British History Online |publisher=T Cadell and W Davies |access-date=22 September 2021}}</ref>
==History== Nottingham Cottage has previously been home to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and his wife, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.<ref name="Williams2012">{{cite book|author=Kate Williams (historian)|author-link=Kate Williams (historian)|title=Young Elizabeth: The Making of our Queen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_KHnu2hWfbkC|date=10 May 2012|publisher=Orion Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-297-86782-1|page=136}}</ref> Upon her retirement in 1948, the house was given for life to Marion Crawford, the former governess of Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. In gratitude for Crawford's service, Queen Mary, the princesses' grandmother, decorated the house with Victorian furniture and prints of flowers for her. Crawford left the cottage in 1950 in the aftermath of her selling stories about the royal family to newspapers, which was revealed publicly by ''The Sunday Express'' editor John Gordon in an attempt to pressure her to provide more stories and articles to him.<ref name="Bradford">{{cite book|author=Sarah Bradford|author-link=Sarah Bradford|title=Elizabeth: A Biography of Her Majesty the Queen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=--xTWYmw5wQC|date=28 Feb 2002|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=978-0-141-93333-7|page=192}}</ref>
The home was subsequently lent to Miles Hunt-Davis, private secretary of the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and his wife Anita.<ref>{{cite web |title=Prince Philip’s former Private Secretary dies aged 79 |url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/966600/prince-philip-sir-miles-hunt-davis-dies-private-secretary-royal-family-queen-elizabeth |website=Express |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref> Robert Fellowes, private secretary to Elizabeth II, and his wife Lady Jane Fellowes, the sister of Diana, Princess of Wales, also occupied the cottage.<ref name=TelegApr18/>
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge used Nottingham Cottage as their London residence after their marriage from 2011 to 2013, splitting their time between the cottage and their home on the Bodorgan Estate in Wales.<ref name="hufpost">{{cite web |title=Will & Kate Move Into Kensington Palace Apartment, Buy Lots Of Air Freshener |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/will-kate-kensington-palace_n_905938 |website=HuffPost |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref> The cottage was redecorated for the couple by interior designer Kelly Hoppen.<ref name="hufpost"/> The Duke and Duchess resided there with their son Prince George after his birth, before moving to Kensington Palace in October 2013.<ref name=TelegApr18/>
Prince Harry moved into Nottingham Cottage from Clarence House following his brother's departure, with the house referred to as his "bachelor pad" after leaving the army.<ref name=TelegApr18/><ref name="Junor2014">{{cite book|author=Penny Junor|author-link=Penny Junor|title=Prince Harry: Brother. Soldier. Son. Husband.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N01zAwAAQBAJ|date=11 September 2014|publisher=Hodder & Stoughton|isbn=978-1-4447-7794-9|page=344}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Where is Nottingham Cottage - the place Prince Harry is staying ahead of Prince Philip's funeral |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/nottingham-cottage-place-prince-harry-5288725 |website=Nottingham News |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Harry and Meghan Will Soon Be William and Kate’s Next-Door Neighbors |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/10/prince-harry-meghan-markle-kensington-palace-apartment-renovations-complete |website=Vanity Fair |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref> It is also one of the places where Prince Harry says he proposed to Meghan Markle; they subsequently resided together at the cottage following their engagement.<ref name=TelegApr18/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/prince-harry-proposed-meghan-markle-cozy-night-while-roasting-chicken-t119321|title=Prince Harry proposed to Meghan Markle during 'cozy' night while roasting chicken|date=27 November 2017|first=Eun Kyung|last=Kim|publisher=Today.com|access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> In April 2019, the couple moved to Frogmore Cottage before the birth of their first child.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/11/24/prince-harry-meghan-say-goodbye-prince-william-catherine-move/|title=Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move to Frogmore House and begin family life|first=Patrick|last=Sawer|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=24 November 2018|access-date=8 May 2019|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a27042424/meghan-markle-prince-harry-move-to-frogmore-cottage/ |title=Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Just Officially Moved Out of London|last=Gonzales |first=Erica |date=4 April 2019|access-date=26 April 2019}}</ref> Harry has said in his book ''Spare'' that a physical altercation took place between him and William in the cottage kitchen.<ref name="Guardian-Synopsis">{{Cite web |last=Pengelly |first=Martin |date=4 January 2023 |title=Prince Harry details physical attack by brother William in new book |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jan/04/prince-harry-william-physical-attack-2019-meghan-spare-book |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230105000614/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jan/04/prince-harry-william-physical-attack-2019-meghan-spare-book |archive-date=5 January 2023 |access-date=4 January 2023 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> Following their wedding, it was reported that Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi were to move into the cottage.<ref>{{cite web |title=Will this be Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi's first marital home? |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/princess-beatrice-edoardo-mapelli-mozzi-marital-home |website=Tatler |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Princess Beatrice Might Move Into Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Home at Kensington Palace |url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a33792001/princess-beatrice-edo-move-into-meghan-markle-prince-harry-old-home/ |website=Cosmopolitan |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Royal palaces in the United Kingdom}} {{William, Prince of Wales}} {{Catherine, Princess of Wales}} {{Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex}} {{Meghan, Duchess of Sussex}}
Category:Christopher Wren buildings in London Category:Houses in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Category:Kensington Palace Category:Royal residences in the United Kingdom