Harry and Meghan live in the Cotswolds, a haven for many celebrities
As reported by the British media, the couple and their two children had been staying at a property owned by a wealthy friend, nestled in the Cotswolds countryside—an area Harry and Meghan already knew well. In 2018, the year of their wedding, they rented a prestigious farmhouse in the region for two years—a historic property with an estimated value of 4.12 million British pounds (about $5.5 million), part of the Great Tew Estate. The residence included a four-bedroom farmhouse, a barn converted into living quarters, and a separate cottage with two additional bedrooms. The property also featured extensive grounds and a heated patio. Over the years, the Cotswolds, in the English countryside, have become a retreat for numerous celebrities, including Jeremy Clarkson, David and Victoria Beckham, and Kate Moss. A few weeks ago the Duchess of Sussex was photographed at The Three Horseshoes, a quaint pub near Burford, in the company of Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi. In 2024, DeGeneres and de Rossi left the United States to move to the Cotswolds, where they live on a large estate surrounded by greenery.
The Sussexes’ housing history in the United Kingdom, however, has been quite eventful. Before leaving the United Kingdom, the couple lived at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, a property made available to Harry and Meghan by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2023, however, the two royals left the residence. The decision came a few months after the publication of the duke’s memoir, Spare. To renovate Frogmore Cottage, approximately 2.4 million British pounds (about $3.2 million) went into transforming two existing buildings into a single-family home. The renovations were extensive: The ceiling beams and floor structures were replaced, the electrical system was redone, new gas and water lines were installed, and a soundproofing system costing approximately 50,000 British pounds (about $67,000) was reportedly put in place. Despite the significant spend, the Sussexes left the property for good after moving overseas.
Even before settling in Windsor, Harry and Meghan lived at Nottingham Cottage, within the Kensington Palace complex. It was a rather small residence that apparently hadn’t won Meghan over. In the Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan, the duchess recalled with a touch of irony that the name Kensington Palace suggested something grand, while the reality was quite different: “Kensington Palace sounds very regal, of course it does. It says ‘palace’ in the name. But Nottingham Cottage was so small!” Harry added that the house had very low ceilings and was even slightly slanted.