Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to the UK has already sparked anxiety among locals in the North Cotswolds, where the couple is reportedly searching for a home.
Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, host of the “Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered” podcast, said that the “chattering class” in the posh countryside enclave are “more wary than excited” about the Sussexes’ potential arrival. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, 41 and 45, touched down in the UK last Wednesday after chartering a private jet and quietly moving out of their $14 million Montecito mansion.
“The Cotswolds can be incredibly welcoming to high-profile people because there’s an unwritten agreement: ‘You don’t make a spectacle of yourself, and neither will we,” Schofield explained. The area is accustomed to celebrities — David Beckham and Ellen DeGeneres are among those who enjoy the neighborhood precisely because locals don’t “bat an eyelid” at their presence.
“But my sources also describe the area as strongly royalist, which makes Harry and Meghan’s arrival somewhat different from that of a typical celebrity,” Schofield added. She noted that while residents are used to famous faces, the Sussexes bring a unique complication: “wherever they go, the headlines tend to follow.”
One local put the community’s sentiment in blunt terms. “Shut up for at least eight months!” the source told Schofield, who relayed the message alongside another piece of advice: “Harry needs to respect the community.” Schofield urged the couple to be “incredibly boring” as they settle in, emphasizing that restraint is essential if they hope to “change the temperature” around them.
“You cannot ask a community to protect your privacy while simultaneously generating headlines that bring attention to their doorstep,” she said.
The Sussexes’ return follows six years in California after they quit royal duties in 2020 and moved to Montecito with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. Sources said that the couple wanted to move back so their kids could be closer to King Charles III, who revealed his cancer battle in 2024. Though estranged from much of the royal family since their departure, Harry has been mending his relationship with his father in recent months, while tensions with Prince William persist.
The Cotswolds search carries particular significance for Harry. Royal commentator Tom Sykes said last week that a friend of Harry’s had disclosed earlier this year that he planned to go house hunting “potentially in the Cotswolds near Highgrove,” the residence of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. “Obviously, that’s where he grew up, living with his father and brother there, and has happy memories,” Sykes added. Schofield characterized the local irony starkly: “Harry and Meghan are moving to a place that is accustomed to famous people… but completely unimpressed by fame.”
Insiders said that the couple received help from British hedge fund billionaire Ian Wace for their move. The advice from locals remains consistent regardless of their connections or childhood ties. “Please don’t bring the circus here,” Schofield summarized. “The advice from locals is essentially that Harry should keep a low profile and allow the family to settle quietly into the community.”