3 Big Rumors About Meghan & Harry Buying A Portugal Home

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle haven't been on the best of terms with King Charles III and the rest of the royal family since they left royal duties in 2020. The tension between them showed up again when Charles evicted them from Frogmore Cottage in 2023, which was their official residence in the United Kingdom while they were still living in the U.K. "This surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan's time in the U.K.," an insider told The U.S. Sun at the time. The home was reportedly offered to Prince Andrew, which indicated that "Harry and Meghan are powerless to stop the eviction," according to the insider.

No longer privy to Frogmore Cottage but still desiring a European home, Harry and Meghan reportedly purchased a residence in Portugal in October 2024, according to the Daily Mail. This investment grants them a "golden visa" and the opportunity to freely travel through over two dozen countries in the European Union's Schengen area (though the U.K. is not one of them, of course). It also ensures they have a home to go to in case they're forcibly removed from the United States — a possibility now that Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election.

With a home outside of the U.S. secured, rumors are swirling that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might look to leave the country for elsewhere. There are real concerns about Harry's visa and if Trump will attempt to deport the Duke of Sussex.

In Prince Harry's memoir "Spare," he admitted to various drug uses in his earlier years. He wrote he was a "seventeen-year-old willing to try almost anything that would upset the established order," and that included taking cocaine during a hunting weekend. He also admitted to taking cannabis and mushrooms in the memoir. The U.S. visa application asks if the applicant has ever abused and/or was addicted to drugs. If Harry lied about his drug use, it could be used against him for a possible deportation — something Trump seems almost eager to do.

Speaking to Daily Express in February 2024, Trump commented that he thought the Biden administration was too protective of Harry and he made thinly veiled threats toward the Prince, saying he "wouldn't protect [Harry]. He betrayed the Queen. That's unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me." While the courts ruled that Harry's immigration records could remain private, the conservative group the Heritage Foundation, which had filed the initial lawsuit that kickstarted this whole ordeal for Harry, seemingly won't stop their efforts to make Harry's records public.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to California after "Megxit" in early 2020 and eventually bought a mansion in Montecito in July. They befriended Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi there, who ended up making the move to England in the wake of Donald Trump's victory. An insider speaking with In Touch in December 2024 said Harry and Meghan understand DeGeneres and de Rossi's motivations for leaving and that "they've toyed with the idea themselves since the election."

However, any desire of leaving the States seems to have dissipated. "Harry and Meghan feel at home in California, and they won't be leaving there without a fight. They have a very good legal team, and they have a lot of support behind them to ensure that they will be able to remain in the United States," a source told Express in November 2024.

The couple enjoys living in California, and being in the U.S. allows them to live a different life with their family than if they had stayed in the U.K. Harry spoke at The New York Times' DealBook Summit and commented on how he can do different things with his kids in California that, because of security risks, he "undoubtedly wouldn't be able to do in the U.K." (via The Sun). He's firmly focused on "being the best husband and the best dad" amid the visa fallout and uncertainty going forward.

With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex intending to stay in the United States, their home in Portugal, a $4.7 million residence at a golf and ocean club south of Lisbon, will be primarily used as a vacation home and investment. "It hasn't been purchased as a new home, but more as a holiday retreat and something they can put their money into to protect their assets," a source told Express.

Even if Meghan and Harry intended to move their family across the Atlantic, the Portugal villa isn't yet ready. "Construction hasn't even been completed yet," the source said. When it is finally finished, the couple will be easily able to connect with Princess Eugenie and her husband, who also own a villa at the club. They moved to Portugal in 2022 and split their time between there and London. Meghan and Princess Eugenie have long been friends, though that friendship has been strained due to Harry and Meghan's exit from the royal family, so perhaps being neighbors will bring them even closer — and maybe even mend some fences between Harry, Meghan, and the rest of the royal family.