Prince Harry and Meghan Markle purchased a lavish multi-million-pound property in sunny Portugal last month but the couple face a fresh blow, as according to a source, the property is not yet ready for use.
The £3.6million home is in a resort located just an hour’s drive south of Lisbon on Portugal’s west coast, between Comporta and Melides, which has become a popular holiday destination for the rich, thanks to it being relatively untouched by tourism.
A source told Express.co.uk it is not ready for use and will only be used as a holiday home. They revealed: “The villa in Portugal is more an investment than anything else and construction hasn’t even been completed yet.”
“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.”
The Sussexes’ purchase of the property was said to have been prompted by Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, who also own a home in Melides, just south of Lisbon.
Pauline MacLaran, a professor and author of ‘Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture’, believes Princess Eugenie also having a home in Portugal would have swayed the couple’s decision to buy.
She explained: “I would think this will have greatly influenced their purchase and will provide them with a familiar friendship circle for their stays there, as well as a chance for their children to get to know their second cousins.”
Being in close proximity to the UK may also assist in Harry making more frequent visits to the UK. The author added: “If the Sussexes intend to use Portugal as a base from which Harry can visit the UK while they are there, then perhaps he will have more of a chance to repair the relationship with his father if he can visit for short periods more easily.”
Express.co.uk revealed that the resort’s properties have been designed by high-end architecture and interior design firm Denton House which delivers “the world’s most glamorous residences and resort destinations”.
The CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club is owned by multimillionaire property tycoon Mike Meldman.
Eugenie’s husband, Jack, works in marketing, sales, and promotion for Mike’s Discovery Land Company, which specialises in building luxurious private golf and residential holiday communities across the globe.
The Discovery Land Company has been developing the 722-acre beachfront plot in Comporta since 2019 and when finished, the resort is set to have 300 homes, with prices starting at a whopping £3.6million.
