Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly made a secret trip to the Cotswolds to hunt for a new home weeks before news emerged of their bombshell return to Britain. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are understood to have quietly spent several days in the sought-after countryside enclave during their visit to the UK last month.
According to The Sun, the couple stayed at a private property on the Great Tew Estate while looking at potential homes in the area. Meghan, 45, is also said to have visited the Cotswolds separately while Harry attended an Invictus Games engagement in Birmingham.
Plans for a New UK Base
The revelation comes after reports that the Sussexes are preparing to establish a new base in Britain, with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet set to attend school in the UK from September. The Cotswolds would mark a return to familiar territory for Harry, 41, and Meghan, who briefly made the picturesque countryside their home before settling at Frogmore Cottage.
The couple rented a £2.5 million Grade II-listed farmhouse for several months around the time of their 2018 wedding. Harry later recalled their affection for the area in his memoir Spare, writing: “We loved it out there. The air is fresh, the verdant grounds plus, no paps.” However, the couple eventually left after the location of their secluded bolthole became public. They are now understood to have identified a considerably larger property for their return, although its precise location has not been disclosed.
A-List Social Scene and Family Ties
The Cotswolds could prove an attractive option for Meghan, combining countryside privacy with a distinctly A-list social scene. Often dubbed “Britain’s Beverly Hills”, it is home to a string of famous faces and the exclusive Soho Farmhouse, where the Duchess has spent time over the years. She celebrated her hen party at the private members’ club and previously visited with former friend Millie Mackintosh, while her longtime friend Markus Anderson has held a senior role within the Soho House group.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi relocated to the Cotswolds in 2024, while Simon Cowell also owns a property in the area. Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi have a country home in the region, while Harry’s cousin Zara Tindall lives with husband Mike at Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate in neighbouring Gloucestershire.
Visits to King Charles and Althorp
During last month’s trip, Harry and Meghan are also reported to have travelled from their Cotswolds base to visit King Charles at Highgrove, amid signs of a thaw in the family’s strained relationship. During their fly on the wall trip, the couple and their young children travelled to Althorp, Princess Diana’s childhood home in Northamptonshire and the estate where the late Princess is buried. Harry was photographed leaving the estate, while Meghan subsequently shared an image showing Harry with Archie and Lilibet in the grounds carrying flowers. Althorp could reportedly provide another option should the Sussexes ultimately decide against settling in the Cotswolds, with Harry maintaining a relationship with his uncle, the Earl Spencer.
