Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made a secret trip away to the Cotswolds during their recent visit to the UK, according to reports.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stayed in a private house belonging to a wealthy associate in early July, the Daily Mail reported.
While the exact location has not been disclosed, they're believed to have stayed in an enclave popular with celebrities in Oxfordshire.
Harry, Meghan, and their two children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, visited King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove in Gloucestershire, which is on the southern side of the Cotswolds.
© Getty ImagesThey also stayed with Princess Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, on the Althorp Estate.
Prince Harry was in the UK to mark one year to go until the Invictus Games in Birmingham, and was joined by the rest of the Sussex family, though they did not attend any public engagements.
Prince Harry and Meghan's close ties to the Cotswolds
The couple briefly rented a £2.5 million farmhouse in the Cotswolds in 2018, so have strong links with the area. They had to give it up when the location was disclosed.
Meghan had her hen-do at country club Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds in 2018 before she married Harry. However, they're not the only royals to have links to the area.
© Photo: InstagramPrincess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, relocated to the Cotswolds in 2021 when they purchased a farmhouse thought to be worth around £3.5 million.
Also nearby are Zara and Mike Tindall, who have put down roots on Princess Anne's rambling Gatcombe Park estate. Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence live in the Manor House there.
The Cotswolds was a hub of royal activity in June, when Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips married Harriet Sperling at All Saints Church in Cirencester, attended by senior members of the royal family.
The stunning countryside setting is also home to celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia, and Simon Cowell, while David and Victoria Beckham also own property in the area.
Where will Harry and Meghan be living in the UK?
It's not known exactly where Harry and Meghan will be setting up their UK base when they return to Britain later this month. However, they will not be living in London.
© ArchewellThe precise location of their home and chosen school for their children will be kept private due to security reasons.
They have not had a permanent UK home since 2023, when they were asked to vacate their Windsor residence Frogmore Cottage, a gift from the late Queen, just weeks after the duke’s memoir Spare was released. Whether they have yet bought a home and who will or has paid for it is also unknown.
The Sussexes will keep their homes in Montecito, California, and Portugal, while the Duchess will continue to run her lifestyle brand, As Ever, from their new base.
The Prince and Princess of Wales currently live at Forest Lodge in Windsor.
King Charles and Camilla have a London base at Clarence House, but also spend a lot of time at Sandringham in Norfolk and Balmoral in Scotland.
