When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, were evicted from their Windsor residence, Frogmore Cottage, by King Charles, it left them without a home in the UK or Europe. However, the California-based couple has now secured a new foothold on this side of the Atlantic.
Recent reports reveal that Prince Harry and Meghan have purchased a property in Portugal. The luxurious villa, located along the stunning coastline as part of the exclusive Costa Terra Golf Club, is said to be worth around $3 million.
Interestingly, the Sussexes are not the only royals with ties to Portugal. Prince Harry’s cousin, Princess Eugenie, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, also own a home in the Costa Terra Golf and Ocean Club, a high-end development comprising 300 properties nestled by the sea in Melides, located south of Lisbon. Brooksbank, 38, currently works in marketing and sales for Costa Terra, and the couple, along with their two young sons, August, 3, and Ernest, 16 months, split their time between London and Portugal.
This purchase may have also allowed the Sussexes to benefit from Portugal’s “Golden Visa” program, which grants visa-free access to the European Union’s Schengen area. For Meghan, a U.S. citizen, this may have been a particularly attractive option. Back in 2017, when the couple announced their engagement, Kensington Palace confirmed that Meghan intended to apply for British citizenship. However, after their departure from the UK in March 2020, less than two years after their wedding, Meghan reportedly abandoned her bid to become a British citizen.
The decision to give up their UK home was confirmed by the Sussexes’ spokesperson in January last year, acknowledging that King Charles had asked them to relinquish Frogmore Cottage.
Interestingly, it seems that Portugal has been a favored spot for the couple even before their home purchase. Last year, following the Invictus Games in Germany, it was reported that the Sussexes enjoyed a “romantic three-night break” in Portugal. They reportedly flew from Dusseldorf to Lisbon and then traveled south to Melides in a “mega-secret” operation. At the time, it was believed they stayed with Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, who have also visited Harry and Meghan at their home in Montecito, California.
Costa Terra Golf Club, where their new home is located, is owned by a company founded by Mike Meldman, a business partner of George Clooney in the tequila brand Casamigos. Brooksbank, who previously worked as a brand ambassador for Casamigos, continues to have strong ties to the development.
As for the Sussexes, their primary residence remains a $35 million Tuscan-style mansion in Montecito, California. This grand estate boasts seven bedrooms, 13.5 bathrooms, a library, cinema, gym, pool, and even a chicken coop. Now, with a second home in Portugal, the Sussexes seem to be setting roots in yet another part of the world, balancing their luxurious Montecito lifestyle with the serene coastal beauty of Europe.
