US actress and comedian Ellen DeGeneres has, for the first time, opened up about her decision to relocate to the stunning Cotswolds area with her wife, Portia de Rossi.
During a conversation with broadcaster Richard Bacon at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham on Sunday, July 20, DeGeneres revealed that the couple decided to stay in England following the re-election of President Donald Trump.
After completing her “final stand-up tour” in the US in 2024, Ellen and Portia purchased a home in the Cotswolds, initially planning to use it as a part-time residence, according to BBC reports.
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“We arrived just before the election and woke up to a flood of texts from friends with crying emojis. When I realized Trump had won, we immediately decided, ‘We’re staying here,’” she explained.
The 67-year-old described the Cotswolds as “absolutely beautiful,” highlighting the area’s charming villages, picturesque towns, and traditional architecture. “We’re just not used to this kind of beauty. It’s a simpler way of life—cleaner, kinder. The way animals are treated, the politeness of people…I just love it here.”
Although they moved in November, which Ellen admitted wasn’t ideal, she enjoyed experiencing snow for the first time in her life. Portia brought their horses over, Ellen keeps chickens, and they even had sheep for a short while.
Fans have caught glimpses of their £14 million countryside home through Ellen’s social media posts. In April, she shared a photo of Portia photographing a rainbow, captioning it: “Three things that make me happy. My wife, a rainbow and my wife taking a photograph of a rainbow.”
Ellen also spoke candidly about the couple’s plans to possibly marry in England amid political challenges in the US. With the Southern Baptist Convention supporting efforts to overturn the Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage, she expressed concern about their marital status.
“The Baptist Church in America is trying to reverse gay marriage,” Ellen said. “They want to stop it in the future and maybe even undo it. Portia and I are already looking into getting married here if that happens.”
Responding to an audience question, Ellen expressed a desire for a more accepting society. “I wish it wasn’t scary for people to be themselves. I wish everyone could accept others and their differences. There has been progress, but there’s still a long way to go.”