Less than three months after returning to Britain on 26 August, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have quietly changed address within the same rural property. Reports indicate that they abandoned the “main house” of a Cotswolds estate and relocated to a separate dwelling on the same grounds. The switch took place just before the family embarked on an October half-term vacation with their children, Archie (seven) and Lilibet (five).
The new cottage on the estate
The exact identity of the landowner remains undisclosed, though the benefactor is described as a wealthy entrepreneur and a long-time supporter of the couple’s charitable work. Some observers have linked the name Ian Wace, a British financier who owns the nearby Rowler Estate, to the hosting arrangement. Whatever the precise relationship, the friend has prepared a second residence for the Sussexes, allowing them to stay on the same property while their primary accommodation is readied.
The move is characterised as a practical solution while the Sussexes decide on a permanent UK base. The Cotswolds has long been a favoured retreat for celebrities, offering privacy amid rolling hills and historic villages. Recent sightings of the duchess at The Three Horseshoes pub near Burford, alongside Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, underscore how the area has become a magnet for high-profile visitors.
Previous British homes and their histories
Before their 2023 departure from Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, the couple invested roughly £2.4 million in refurbishments, replacing structural beams, upgrading electrical and plumbing systems, and installing a £50,000 sound-proofing package. Despite the hefty spend, Frogmore was vacated after the duke’s memoir “Spare” appeared, and the family moved abroad.
Earlier, when the Sussexes first settled in the United Kingdom after their 2018 wedding, they rented a four-bedroom farmhouse on the Great Tew Estate for two years. Valued at £4.12 million, the property comprised the farmhouse, a barn converted into living space, and a separate cottage with two extra bedrooms, plus extensive grounds and a heated patio. Their initial UK residence, Nottingham Cottage within the Kensington Palace complex, proved less than ideal; the duchess later remarked that the name “Kensington Palace” sounded regal, but the actual cottage was “so small” with low, slightly slanted ceilings.
International properties and upcoming commitments
While the Cotswolds move signals a return to English soil, the Sussexes continue to retain their overseas assets. Their Montecito, California estate—purchased for around $14 million—remains a family home, complete with a wine cellar, home cinema, gym, spa, outdoor pool, tennis court, wood-fired oven and over thirteen bathrooms. Staff also look after the family’s chickens, a detail that has surfaced in recent coverage.
In addition, a Portuguese coastal villa near Princess Eugenie’s residence is part of their portfolio, situated within the exclusive CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club in Melides, south of Lisbon. On the professional front, Meghan is slated to co-host the Australian edition of Junior MasterChef next year, a commitment that may see the family travel to Australia for an extended period.
Beyond domestic logistics, the couple is slated to appear in Brussels on 10 November for a European Parliament event focused on protecting children from online abuse. Their involvement underscores a continued dedication to the causes that have defined much of their public work.
