What to know about Frogmore Cottage, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's new home

Stories have been circulating all year about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's permanent home, but we've now had official confirmation that they'll be moving to a ten-bedroom cottage on the Windsor estate

As they prepare for the arrival of their first child, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Prince Harry and Meghan Markle) have decided on a new family home, Frogmore Cottage. Prince William and Kate Middleton live in an apartment at Kensington Palace, which has room for more families, but the Sussexes have opted for slightly different digs. Instead, they'll be moving out of Kensington to Frogmore, in Windsor, early next year, according to reports confirmed by the royal family. So, aside from sounding like J.K. Rowling's first idea for what to call Hogwarts, what exactly is Frogmore Cottage?

Frogmore Cottage

According to The Sun's royal correspondent, the building and grounds have special significance for the pair. "It’s where they had their private evening wedding party and where their gorgeous engagement pictures were shot," per The Sun. It's not quite ready for royal living yet, and "needs major building work to turn it back into a luxury family home, boasting 10 bedrooms and a new nursery plus space for a gym and yoga studio. Currently it’s been chopped up into 5 units where palace staff have been living. Harry, Meghan and baby Sussex hope to move in next year."

A missive from the palace confirmed the move will happen post-renovation, in early 2019, and that the couple's official "office" will still be at the Palace:

The parents-to-be will be keeping their Cotswolds pad as a country home (gotta have a country home!), and it should make for a nice family retreat during the three days per year that Frogmore is open to the public.

Fans of The Crown (or just British history) will be interested to learn that the home and grounds have plenty of historical significance. Queen Mary is a famous former cottage resident, and it's just a quick walk from the front door to the burial grounds of King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson.

Rich kids always boast about their home theatres, indoor swimming pools and private tennis courts. But everyone knows that the only status symbol that matters when it comes to property is on-site graves.

Since those engagement photos really were so beautiful, we can only hope that the couple's new home will lend itself to equally gorgeous family pictures.