Meghan, Harry may need to ‘rip up’ Frogmore garden plans

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are facing the possibility of making a big change to the vision of their dream family home.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may be forced to rip up parts of their dream garden after they changed their minds on the layout — but the design is being kept a secret.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex included the garden in their $4.26 million revamp of Frogmore Cottage, but the new parents opted for a different landscape at the last minute, reports The Sun.

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The couple, who welcomed baby Archie in May, threw their approved plan out the window and went with a new vision, which is now said to include a tennis or badminton court.

The royals are now seeking retrospective permission from the council, which may not be granted and could mean they have to tear up their garden — at yet more cost.

Despite questions over whether the new features are allowed by the council, plans for the edited garden are being kept under wraps.

A letter from Ian Ratcliffe, project manager at the Royal Household, cited “national security” for the secrecy around the design.

The couple at The Lion King premiere earlier this week. Picture: Niklas Halle'n-WPA Pool/Getty Images

In a letter to the Windsor and Maidenhead Council, Mr Ratcliffe said: “For reasons of national security, we would appreciate if this application could be treated as confidential and not be allowed to enter the public domain …”

The demand for secrecy is the latest in a string from the Sussexes, with the couple keeping Archie’s christening and godparents private plus Meghan’s privacy requests at Wimbledon.

Despite the calls for confidentiality surrounding the multi-million revamp, the change of heart was revealed in planning documents, with Meghan and Harry making an External Landscaping Works application, part retrospective.

The couple are seeking approval for changes that have already been made, with a decision to be made on September 11.

Frogmore Cottage. Picture: GOR/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan previously submitted plans to convert the Grade II listed cottage, which was gifted to them by the Queen last year, from five cottages into a family home.

Applications for bedrooms, extensions, footpaths, parking, external landscaping and decoration were all approved, but a fresh application has now been received by the council this week.

It’s been claimed Prince Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, have included a tennis or badminton court, security lights and $35,000 worth of fast-growing foliage at their home.

Another feature reportedly included is a vegetable patch, thought to be for the couple to make healthy homemade meals for Archie.

A royal source told the Mail: “Some changes have been made to the plans to create the Duke and Duchess’s garden after the original planning consent was granted.

“Frogmore Cottage will be the perfect place for a royal prince to grow up with the Duke and Duchess, and these changes are very important to create a perfect home for themselves and Archie.”

An official portrait of the family of three, taken at Archie’s christening earlier this month. Picture: Chris Allerton/AFP

The full letter from Mr Ratcliffe to the council said: “This application has been submitted following a material change to elements of grant of planning consent.

“We consider that national security could be compromised if public access is given to the plans, other drawings and documents relating to this project, either in the offices of the council or on the council website where they could be viewed and copied.

“Therefore, for reasons of national security, we would appreciate if this application could be treated as confidential and not be allowed to enter the public domain awing to the nature of the works and their location.

“And (we) would reaffirm that this application is submitted on the basis that the accompanying plans, drawings and other documents are not released into the public domain either in your offices or on your website.”

Under UK law, a retrospective application is submitted if a change is made to plans that require planning permission, and approval has not been granted.

If the application is refused, the council could order the Sussexes to rip up all the work that doesn’t have permission.

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission