Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have recently relocated to the Cotswolds after returning to the UK at the end of August. However, their arrival appears to have been met with mixed feelings among local residents.
Although the exact location of their new home has not been officially disclosed, it is understood that the Sussexes, along with their children Archie and Lilibet, are residing in an isolated 18th-century farmhouse set within 83 acres of scenic Cotswolds countryside.
Meghan Markle has made several public appearances since returning, including being photographed at The Three Horseshoes pub in Asthall, near Burford, Oxfordshire, where she was seen chatting and laughing with others. She has also been spotted visiting Soho Farmhouse, a members-only luxury retreat, for tea with a friend.
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Some locals have expressed frustration about the level of security around Meghan, describing it as excessive. One resident was quoted as characterising her focus on security as “hysterical”. Furthermore, staff at The Three Horseshoes have reportedly refused to serve her on occasion, and some community members find her presence “terribly inconvenient and annoying.” Another local described her demeanor during visits to places like Daylesford Farm Shop in Moreton-in-Marsh as walking “around as if she is very important,” often accompanied by a group of bodyguards during busy shopping times.
In contrast to Meghan’s public appearances, Prince Harry has kept a lower profile locally, with recent trips to London for the WellChild Awards and to Birmingham for the launch of the Invictus Games.
Some nearby residents have suggested that the couple would have been better off “staying in America” and maintaining a lower profile. In Burford, only a short distance from the pub where Meghan was seen, locals have yet to fully embrace the family’s presence.
The arrival of the Sussexes in the Cotswolds highlights a tension between their desire for privacy and the impact that their security arrangements and public profile have on the local community.