The news of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s forthcoming return to the other side of the pond has ignited a firestorm of speculation and questions in both the US and the UK alike: Why now? Will their publicly funded security be reinstated? And where, exactly, are Harry and Meghan going to live in the UK? The only tidbits we know are that the Sussexes plan to keep their Montecito, California, mansion—for now; they will live in a private, nonroyal residence; and their children, seven-year-old Archie and five-year-old Lilibet, have already been enrolled to start school in the UK in September. Although any information beyond that has not been confirmed at this point, some areas would make more sense than others for Harry and Meghan to put down roots—and we can pretty safely bet that they won’t settle down anywhere too crowded, as privacy is paramount. Below, we examine some possibilities.
The Cotswolds
With its reputation for celebrity-favored rural estates, the Cotswolds seem like an obvious choice for the couple. Plus, the two have existing ties to the bucolic region; it’s where Harry spent much of his childhood, in Highgrove House, which is still the private residence of King Charles and Queen Camilla, and it’s where Harry and Meghan rented a home after they were married in 2018. Rumors are already connecting the couple to the Cotswolds. Per: royal commentator Tom Sykes as quoted in Page Six, “I was told by a friend of Harry’s earlier this year that he was going to go house-hunting and potentially in the Cotswolds near Highgrove.” Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, David and Victoria Beckham, Hugh Grant, and Lily Allen all own properties in the area.
West Country
However, that star power may count against the Cotswolds as a place for the Sussexes to settle. “It is beautiful, of course, and we find US buyers often love it there, but it has become incredibly high-profile, and privacy can be an issue,” a local rural real estate expert recently told Mansion Global. Instead, the A-listers may want to consider England’s West Country—particularly the more secluded areas of Wiltshire, Dorset, or Somerset counties. “We have dealt with estates [in those regions] where you drive for several minutes from the gates before you even reach the main house.… For someone with [Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s] level of public profile, I would compromise on postcode before I compromised on privacy,” the source added.
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Northamptonshire
In July, when the Sussexes made their first trip with Prince Harry to the UK in four years, they stayed in Northamptonshire at Althorp House, the childhood home and final resting place of Harry’s mother, Princess Diana. That family connection might entice the family to choose a property in Northamptonshire. The area, just two hours from London, is still accessible while boasting many impressive, secluded estates to choose from.
