Meghan of Montecito might need a new nickname. After six years of West Coast living, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing to spend considerably more time in Britain, with their children, Archie and Lilibet, expected to start school in the UK in September. The only question is where, exactly, the family will live.
The Sussexes are not thought to be looking at London. Instead, their search is centered on the English countryside, with the Cotswolds and Northamptonshire emerging as the most likely contenders.
Their new home is expected to be a private property rather than a royal residence, and the Cotswolds is a somewhat unsurprising choice. Harry and Meghan already have history there, having rented a farmhouse on the Great Tew Estate shortly after their wedding in 2018. The area offers country living and easy enough access to London, while also putting them within reach of Highgrove House, King Charles's Gloucestershire home.
It would also put them in revered company. The Cotswolds has become something of a celebrity postcode, with David and Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Jeremy Clarkson and Stella McCartney all owning homes or spending significant time in the area. The renowned Soho Farmhouse, where celebrities including Blake Lively are often spotted, is also close to the area.
Northamptonshire, in the East Midlands region of England, has a more intimate appeal. It's home to Althorp, the Spencer family estate where Diana, Princess of Wales, grew up and where she is buried. Harry and Meghan recently visited the estate with their children, reemphasizing the personal significance of the area.
There is also no suggestion that the move means giving up California altogether. The couple is expected to keep their Montecito home, making their British property more of a second base than a replacement.
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After years of building a life around their California house, the question of what they choose for their British home is an interesting one. One might expect it to resemble an English country-style home (complete with original fireplaces and timber paneling). However, as Ellen's glass structure has proved, you can still find something highly contemporary in the Cotswolds.
For now, the address remains private. But whether it is the Cotswolds or Northamptonshire, one thing seems fairly certain: Meghan of Montecito is about to become rather more at home in the English countryside.
And, you, too, can tap into the couple's new aesthetic. This guidebook from Amazon is a tutorial of Cotswolds-inspired living for those who want to bring the same British countryside charm into any kind of home.
The essential read for admirers of English country style, interior design, architecture, and the British countryside, this book is a celebration of beautiful Cotswold houses and their interiors.
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