The countdown to Harry and Meghan’s return to the United Kingdom has begun and, as Archie and Lilibet get ready to head back to school, one question remains: Where will they live? Several options are on the table, but one seems to be emerging as the clear favorite. The Sussexes’ most recent moves point directly to the Cotswolds, where they are believed to have been house-hunting during their last visit to the country.
According to the Daily Mail, Harry and Meghan quietly visited the Cotswolds during their stay in the UK this past July to look for a new home. The couple reportedly spent several days at a private residence on the Great Tew estate, the same area where they enjoyed one of the most peaceful periods of their lives before moving to Frogmore Cottage. The outlet also reports that Meghan took care of some business in the area on her own while Harry attended an engagement related to the Invictus Games in Birmingham.
© PoolFrom favorite refuge to possible new home
It’s easy to see why they might be looking there again. Back in 2018, Harry and Meghan made the Cotswolds their personal hideaway when they rented an 18th-century country house on an estate of around four hectares, valued at the time at 2.9 million euros.
In January 2019, ¡HOLA! revealed how the residence had become one of their favorite retreats. It featured four bedrooms, two kitchens, expansive outdoor space, and a separate two-bedroom cottage that could be used for guests or staff.
© John LambThe house soon became a gathering place for some very famous friends. Its exceptional privacy made it the perfect escape, something the Duke and Duchess of Sussex especially appreciated. Some of their closest friends spent time there, including George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, as well as Doria Ragland, Meghan’s mom. Above all, it was a place where they could go for walks, welcome friends, and enjoy a level of peace and quiet that was hard to find in London or Windsor.
Years later, Harry revealed just how much that chapter had meant to them. In his memoir, Spare, he explained that they even considered staying there permanently, drawn to the fresh air, gardens, and especially the possibility of living far from the spotlight.
© AnadoluIronically, that same spotlight ended up pushing them out. After the property’s location was made public through aerial photographs, the couple left their countryside refuge and Harry took legal action over the invasion of their privacy.
Eight years later, they could find themselves back where it all began.
Who could be their neighbors in the Cotswolds?
The Cotswolds could also offer Meghan a lifestyle not so different from the one she has created in Montecito: peace, nature, and privacy, with plenty of familiar famous faces nearby. In fact, the area has been dubbed “the British Beverly Hills” thanks to the many celebrities who’ve chosen its rolling hills and sprawling estates as an escape from the spotlight.
© LISA O'CONNORDavid and Victoria Beckham own a well-known country estate there, close to the exclusive Soho Farmhouse. Simon Cowell also has a property in the region, while Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, friends of the Sussexes from their California days, settled in the Cotswolds after leaving the United States.
Meghan’s connection to Soho Farmhouse goes back years. The duchess was a regular at the ultra-exclusive private members’ club even before joining the royal family and celebrated her bachelorette party there in 2018. Her friend Markus Anderson, a key figure in the Soho House world, was also one of the people who helped arrange discreet meetings between Meghan and Harry in the early days of their relationship.
© Backgrid/The Grosby GroupSo moving back to this part of the country wouldn’t mean starting from scratch. Instead, it would be a return to a world Meghan already knows, where she still has friends and where the low-key lifestyle of its star-studded residents is part of the appeal.
Why this area is becoming the front-runner
The Cotswolds offer more than famous neighbors and familiar surroundings. The region could also fit well with the family life Harry and Meghan are reportedly planning with their children.
Recent reports suggest that Archie and Lilibet have already secured spots at a British school and would commute from home each day, making it important for the family to live relatively close to campus. The Cotswolds also offer a wide selection of prestigious private schools.
© Meghan Markle/IGThey would also have family relatively nearby. Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi own a country home in the area, while Zara and Mike Tindall live with their children at Gatcombe Park, Princess Anne’s estate in Gloucestershire.
And, perhaps most importantly, there is Highgrove, King Charles III’s country residence. During his July visit, Harry traveled from the Cotswolds to see his father. Living in the area could make it easier for the two to spend time together more often and in private, at a time when family ties appear to be warming.
Althorp and the other options
If the Cotswolds don’t end up being their final choice, Northamptonshire is emerging as another strong possibility, and the reasons would be deeply personal for Harry.
The county is home to Althorp House, the Spencer family estate where Princess Diana grew up and where she is laid to rest. Harry remains very close to his uncle, Charles Spencer, and revisited the estate during his recent time in the UK.
© David GoddardThe Sun has even suggested that Harry and Meghan might stay at Althorp temporarily, if needed, before settling into a permanent home. Its location, less than two hours from London, would allow them to enjoy life in the countryside while still being able to travel to the capital with relative ease.
Could they return to the Windsor area?
There are other possibilities, even if they currently seem less likely. Berkshire would be a natural option given Harry and Meghan’s history in the area. It’s home to Frogmore Cottage, their official residence after their wedding and before they moved to the United States.
© @meghanHowever, a return to Frogmore doesn’t appear to be an option. The Sussexes no longer have use of the property after being asked to vacate it, so any move back to Berkshire would require a different, privately owned home.
Surrey and other parts of Oxfordshire have also been mentioned, especially because of their proximity to London, excellent transportation links, and abundance of private schools. They’re all practical choices, but for now, none seems to check as many boxes as the Cotswolds.
