Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to settle in the Cotswolds could leave them "out of their depth", a royal expert has warned. The couple, who returned to the UK in August after six years in California, are reported to have moved into their new property over the weekend, according to the Daily Mail.
Expert warns of 'out of their depth'
Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail: "It depends who they befriend but given that there are [other] royals there and the likes of the Beckhams, they will be out of their depth as they have pretensions to be A-listers but are not!"
He added: "They were not a success in Hollywood. No one else is like them though, which is probably just as well. She failed at the Daytime Emmys and joins Junior MasterChef in Australia, perhaps in the Cotswolds she will find her own level."
Family settles in rural England
The couple are said to be living with their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, in the Cotswolds. Following a lengthy house-hunting process and with an estimated £10 million to spend, they have settled into their new home. The youngsters have since enrolled at a school in Britain, although they were forced to abandon their first preferred choice because of security concerns.
The Cotswolds is also home to several of the couple's well-known friends, including former television host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi. The pair purchased Kitesbridge Farm, near Burford, for a reported £15 million in 2024 and are said to have remained close to Meghan since the Sussexes' time in California.
Local reaction concerns
Over the years, celebrities including David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, Jeremy Clarkson and, more recently, Hollywood star Sydney Sweeney have been drawn to the area, cementing its reputation as a favourite retreat for the rich and famous.
Mr Fitzwilliams has also expressed his doubts about how the Sussexes will be received by long-standing residents of the Cotswolds, suggesting their arrival may not be universally welcomed. He continued: "The locals generally are likely to dislike the Sussexes' presence in the Cotswolds as we know they are chronically unpopular in Britain.
"This is a rural area with traditional English villages, rolling hills and also a royal presence. Such areas tend to be extremely supportive of the monarchy. In the case of the Sussexes, they have ruthlessly exploited their royal connections and the world knows this. The often wealthy, conservatively inclined residents of the Cotswolds would look on this with extreme disfavour."
