Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are believed to have conducted a discreet visit to the Cotswolds region of England during their recent trip to the UK, a move that has sparked speculation about their potential relocation to the celebrity-favored enclave. The couple reportedly spent several days in early July at a private residence of an associate near Oxford.
During this period, Harry visited his father, King Charles, at Highgrove in the Cotswolds, and also paid respects at his mother Princess Diana's ancestral home, Althorp. However, their other movements remained largely unpublicized.
Royal observers suggest this visit may have served as a reconnaissance mission to assess the feasibility of establishing a full-time residence in the Cotswolds. Sources indicate the couple may have already secured a home and enrolled their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, in a local preparatory school, with arrangements possibly made during their Oxfordshire stay. Their return to the UK to begin this new chapter is anticipated within the next two weeks, preceding the start of the school term in early September. The exact location of their prospective new home is being kept confidential due to security concerns.
The Sussexes have prior ties to the Cotswolds, having resided in a rented farmhouse in the area from 2018 until its location was revealed, prompting Harry to successfully sue a paparazzi agency for breach of privacy. Inquiries about renting another property in the region were reportedly made as early as last October by parties connected to the couple.
The Cotswolds is a popular area for celebrities and affluent individuals. Harry's cousin, Princess Beatrice, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi own a farmhouse in the vicinity. Friends of the couple, including former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi, also reside in the area. Music mogul Simon Cowell and his fiancée Lauren Silverman have an estate nearby, and Beyoncé and Jay-Z have previously explored property options in the region.
If the family relocates, Archie and Lilibet are expected to be day pupils at a fee-paying prep school, requiring daily transport. The Cotswolds offers a variety of such institutions due to its affluent demographic.
Their previous Cotswolds farmhouse, located near DeGeneres's property, was a setting for visits from various friends, including George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland. The farmhouse is now believed to be rented by another tenant and may be too small for the Sussexes and their two children.
Sources close to the Sussexes indicated last October that their attention had turned to other rental possibilities in the Cotswolds. The presence of friends like DeGeneres, who also relocated from California, is seen as a draw. DeGeneres has spoken positively about her life in the Cotswolds.
Cowell, who also lives in the Cotswolds with his family, is reported to be a friend of Harry's, sharing an appreciation for country living. The Sussexes also share connections with Cowell through mutual friends in California, such as record producer David Foster and his wife, singer Katharine McPhee.
While Beyoncé and Jay-Z reportedly abandoned plans to buy an estate in the area due to flooding concerns, other notable figures like David and Victoria Beckham also own property in the Cotswolds. However, reports suggest a strain in Harry's relationship with David Beckham, despite their past camaraderie.
Royal watchers also point to the presence of other royal family members in the wider region, such as Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall, as a potential factor in the Sussexes' decision. A local property source suggested that a return to the Cotswolds could represent a full circle for the couple, allowing them to live anonymously once more, but this time surrounded by a larger circle of friends and family.