Prince Harry's potential future neighbour has claimed he once spotted the Duke of Sussex in a much more laid-back setting in the Cotswolds. The youngest son of King Charles, his wife Meghan Markle, and their two children Archie and Lilibet are widely believed to be settling in the celebrity-favoured region, six years after relocating to America.
Celebrity neighbours and local ties
Should the couple decide to make the Cotswolds their home, they would be joining a plethora of famous faces with properties in the area, including Ellen DeGeneres, Beyonce and the Beckhams. Another long-standing resident, who frequently encounters royals such as Princess Anne and her daughter Zara Tindall in the vicinity, is Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.
The interior designer reckons locals might be more receptive to Harry due to his previous ties to the Cotswolds. King Charles' Highgrove House is in the region and is where Harry spent plenty of his younger years. As for Meghan, who he calls "the Duchess of Beige", the Changing Rooms star maintained she would need to demonstrate her authenticity to earn the support of locals, particularly school mums.
Memories of the 'Party Prince'
Having resided in the Cotswolds for nearly two decades, he has observed the evolving landscape of the South West region. He suggests his corner of the area would appeal to the couple because locals aren't easily star-struck.
Recalling a memory of Harry, he told the Express: "It's where [he] grew up. Harry was a near constant fixture in the queue for the takeaway at the local Indian restaurant."
"The amount of times I used to see him with the most appalling hangover on Sunday morning in Waitrose trying to find something to sort his face, before he went and had lunch with his dad," he added of Harry, who was once known as the 'Party Prince'.
A possible return to the nest
Laurence also suggested that many of Harry's friends grew up in the area, while some members of his family still live there.
"So you can see actually if this is an emotional decision, which I personally think it may well be, I think he could well be driving this and saying, listen, this is now about the children, it's not about us and our big kind of media careers," he shared. "I think he's considering what the real future is."
Harry and Meghan's alleged change of heart about the US followed a private meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla in July. This was reportedly the first time Charles had seen his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, in person in over four years.
"I think the meeting with his dad, the King, the fact that Queen Camilla was there as well, is very interesting. I think there's this sort of sense of rapprochement. So, yeah, I can see him very much wanting to return to the nest, basically," Laurence added.
An offer of interior design help
Should the couple become his new neighbours, the businessman said he would be delighted to assist them with their interior design at his Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Pattern Emporium shop.
Describing Meghan as "the Duchess of Beige," he suggested adding some colour into her life could help her blend in with the locals.
"What we do is very colourful. It's probably far too exciting for the Duchess of Beige, but we can try. Certainly if she wants to be taken seriously by the ladies of the area, owning a couple of LLB cushions would definitely push her in the right direction," he added.
