Meghan Markle received a telling off after she was pictured with former US TV host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, according to an insider. Meghan, 45, was seen out with Ellen and her wife at The Three Horseshoes near Burford in Oxfordshire on September 21.
The trio were neighbours in Montecito before moving to the Cotswolds, and an eyewitness told Page Six that the trio was “chatting and laughing” at the pub before Meghan left.
Source claims Harry is reining in Meghan
A source told The Express: "Meghan's priority in the UK is settling down and making friends, and these aren't showbiz friends, but school mums and Cotswolds residents. She's trying her best to tone things down and not be too Hollywood, but being spotted with a controversial US celeb isn't the best look. Harry has been reining her in on her celebrity tendencies, but she is making a real effort to integrate herself into life back in the UK."
Harry is said to be "really happy to be home" and has been privately catching up with school friends whom he hasn't seen in years. Meanwhile, Meghan is said to be "pleased with the reception they've had from Cotswolds locals," as the source added: "Meghan knows she can be Marmite, and she wasn't sure what to expect. But let's just say the pitchforks haven't come out yet."
Reaction from commentators
A representative for the Sussexes confirmed to The Express that Meghan remains good friends with both Ellen and Portia when approached for comment.
The pictures of Meghan with Ellen and Portia sparked backlash from experts, with royal commentator Hilary Fordwich speculating to Fox News Digital that Meghan was trying "for all to see that she’s extending her celebrity world from California to the Cotswolds, aiming to be viewed as significant."
Kinsey Schofield added: "This suggests she may be trying to recreate elements of Montecito in the Cotswolds: privacy when she wants it, but with a glamorous and recognisable social circle around her."
History of friendship and move to the UK
Meghan and Ellen have been friends for years after Meghan appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show back in 2021, and she and Harry were among the guests at the TV star's 2023 vow renewal.
Ellen and Portia moved to the Cotswolds in November 2024, with Ellen confirming to the BBC that they decided to leave after Donald Trump was reelected as President. It came after Ellen's long-running TV show, which aired from 2003 to 2022, was cancelled due to falling ratings and allegations of a toxic workplace culture.
Other major celebrities have followed suit, including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, David and Victoria Beckham, Liam Gallagher and Kate Moss. TV star Jeremy Clarkson also runs Diddly Squat farm and the Farmer's Dog pub in Burford, only a five-minute drive from the pub Meghan visited with Ellen and Portia.
