Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly splurged millions of pounds on their new home in Portugal because life in America was not “what they thought it would be,” according to an ex-palace staffer.
Reports suggested the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new property at the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club, a resort dubbed the “Hamptons of Portugal”, cost an eye-watering £3.6million.
The new home is reportedly just an hour’s drive south of Lisbon on Portugal’s west coast, between Comporta and Melides, and is close to a property owned by Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank.
According to King Charles’ former personal butler Grant Harrold, the couple’s rumored move to Europe shows that they’re “edging their way back in the direction of the UK.”
Commenting on the couple’s life in America, Grant told New York Post: “Their life in the US — there’s so many people that move away and move back, so I don’t think there’d be anything unusual about Harry and Meghan leaving the US for Europe.”
He added: “But maybe living in the States wasn’t what they thought it would be and that could be why they’re now supposedly edging their way back in the direction of the UK.”
The ex-staffer also added that it is not unusual for royals to “set up overseas”, as Princess Margaret used to spend a “lot of time in Mauritius”.
Harrold also noted the business adventures of the couple, including Meghan’s new brand launch, could “very much continue wherever they are in the world”.
Meghan Markle is set to officially launch her brand, ‘American Riviera Orchard’ soon, selling items including jams, dog biscuits, homewares, and cooking utensils.
It is currently embroiled in a trademark dispute, as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (UPSTO) has raised concerns about the logo design and the use of a geographical location in the brand name.
The reported purchase of the property in sunny Portugal has the added bonus of potentially obtaining residency and eventually EU citizenship for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, allowing the couple to travel freely through the European Union’s Schengen area.
However, if the royal duo are to get their hands on an EU passport in due course, they face a huge setback, as they would first have to get Portuguese citizenship.
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.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Pauline MacLaran, a professor and author of ‘Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture’, said Eugenie and Jack could have swayed Harry and Meghan’s decision to buy a home close by.
She said: “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.”