ROYAL FAMILY
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Harry and Meghan’s reported new home is just an hour’s drive south of Lisbon on Portugal’s west coast,
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could soon invite “younger royals” to their new home following a reported £3.6m property purchase in Portugal, a royal insider has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s European house purchase could be an attempt at a royal reconciliation, according to former royal butler, Grant Harrold.
Harry and Meghan’s reported new home is just an hour’s drive south of Lisbon on Portugal’s west coast, between Comporta and Melides. The home is within the 722-acre CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club area which has become a popular holiday destination for the rich, thanks to it being relatively untouched by tourism.
Grant believes some younger members of the Firm will eventually travel to Portugal to visit the Sussexes’ new abode. He told The New York Post: “All the younger royals I’m guessing would love to go out to Portugal to visit them if they do move, so I would imagine we would see some of the family members visiting Harry and Meghan — as well as a few of their celebrity friends no doubt.”
Commenting on patching up relations with Harry’s family, Grant explained: “I’ve always said that I think Harry’s relationship with the royals will improve over time.”
He added: “It’s been quiet for quite a while which is a good sign, so I think any move to Europe — even if it’s not the UK, Portugal is not that far — could mean that it’s easier for Harry to spend more time in his home the UK and it’s quite possible it’s a sign that he is getting closer to his family again.”
CostaTerra is part of Discovery Land Company, an enterprise founded by Mike Meldman. It specialises in building luxurious private golf and residential holiday communities across the globe. The Sussexes boast a family connection with the company as Princess Eugenie’s husband, Jack Brooksbank, works for Discovery Land Company.
The Sussexes’ purchase of the property was said to have been prompted by his cousin, the Duke of York’s daughter, Princess Eugenie and her husband 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.”
The Duke of Sussex has always been close to his cousins, Eugenie and her sister Princess Beatrice, remaining in contact with them since he and his wife, Meghan Markle moved to the US and stepped down as a working royals in 2020.
News of the couple’s European home comes just a year and a half after they were evicted from their Windsor-based property, Frogmore Cottage.
Prince Harry and Meghan initially received Frogmore Cottage as a wedding gift from the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2018.