Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have chosen the Cotswolds for their new home base during an “extended stay” in the UK, foregoing the bustle of London for a quieter, more private existence in England’s south.
The royal couple haven’t made an official statement about the move, which saw them pack up their two children – Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five – and leave their US mansion, but it’s easy to see the appeal of their new home.
Prince Harry and Meghan have chosen the Cotswolds as their new home base with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Getty
The Cotswolds cover about 2000 square kilometres of the English countryside and is known for rolling hills, ancient forests and quaint village towns.
The weather is mild but changeable year-round, dipping to lows of 2 degrees in winter and surging to highs of 22 degrees in summer.
It encompasses large parts of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, where detached homes sold for an average of £593,618 ($1.1 million) and £693,225 ($1.3 million) respectively over the last year, according to rightmove.co.uk.
The Cotswolds are known for its cute stone cottages, but we doubt Harry and Meghan will be setting up in one of these. Susan Standen
It also encompasses parts of Wiltshire, Somerset, Worcestershire and Warwickshire, where the average cost of a detached home can range from $910,000 to $1 million.
There are very affluent areas in the Cotswolds where Harry and Meghan may choose to settle for the foreseeable future, though there’s no guarantee they’ll purchase a home outright.
The Sussexes are holding on to their Montecito home in California for now, so they may choose to rent a cottage, farmhouse or something more lavish while they’re in the UK.
The Cotswolds already boasts an abundance of rich and famous residents.
Liam Gallagher, pictured here with brother Noel in the ’90s, put down roots in the Cotswolds earlier this year. Getty
Liam Gallagher from Oasis moved into the area earlier this year after buying a multimillion dollar home in Coates from England football captain Tony Adams.
Kate Moss has a house there too, as does Harry’s singer ex-girlfriend Ellie Goulding, Simon Cowell, and Ellen DeGeneres.
David and Victoria Beckham have been residents for nearly a decade, and their lavish Cotswolds home was the backdrop for their 2023 Netflix documentary Beckham.
Perhaps they will bond with new neighbours Harry and Meghan over their shared experiences with the streaming giant.
The Cotswolds are also beloved of the royals.
Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are raising their growing family in a six-bedroom home there.
Princess Anne has lived at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire for 40 years now, and her adult children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall also live on the estate.
Even King Charles loves the Cotswolds. AP
The King himself even has a residence there, Highgrove in Tetbury, which he retreats to with Queen Consort Camilla from time to time.
All this to say, the Sussexes will be in good company in the Cotswolds.
Not just because they’ll be sharing a postcode with a number of other high-profile locals, but because the more ‘common’ residents should also be somewhat accustomed to seeing famous faces in their midst.
Plenty of celebrities have also passed through while filming TV and films in the area, from Bridget Jones’ Diary, to Emma (both the 1996 and 2020 adaptations), Die Another Day, several of the original Harry Potter films, and Doctor Who.
Scenes from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince were filmed at Gloucester Cathedral in the Cotswolds. Warner Bros.
The cathedral is just as impressive on the outside. Jim Monk
Woodchester Mansion in Gloucestershire even served as a filming location for Prince Philip’s boarding school in season two of The Crown.
While we’re not suggesting Harry and Meghan will be popping down to visit film sets with the kids, if they visit a park or pub in the Cotswolds, they probably won’t have to worry about being mobbed the way they would in London.
Nor will they have to fret about their children being singled out at school.
Archie and Lilibet will reportedly start at a local school in September, and there are plenty of top-performing institutions in the area for Harry and Meghan to choose from.
Harry, Meghan and their children have landed in the UKand will be staying for an extended period of time. Instagram/@meghan
Harry’s royal cousin Zara attended Beaudesert Park School in Stroud, Gloucestershire, a private prep school that charges £5160 ($9700) per term for students in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.
If Harry and Meghan were to send Archie and Lilibet there, it would set them back about $29,000 per child, per school year.
Zara and her brother Peter also attended Port Regis Prep School in Shaftesbury, Dorset, where Harry and Meghan could send their children for £4215 ($7973) per term, per child.
If the move doesn’t go so well, they’ll still have their US base to fall back on, with the couple keeping their Montecito home. @meghan
Or they could do away with royal tradition (it wouldn’t be the first time) and choose a different school altogether.
Either way, the Sussexes are likely to guard the details of their childrens’ lives and education closely to prevent security risks.
Fiercely protective of their family and privacy, there’s no doubt Harry and Meghan will be working hard to make sure wherever they settle in the Cotswolds will be decked out with security to keep themselves and their children safe.