SURE, HARRY AND MEGHAN MAY HAVE BOUGHT 83 ACRES IN THE COTSWOLDS—BUT DO THEY NEED A LONDON PIED-À-TERRE TOO?

I’m starting to think that Harry and Meghan should buy a place in London, in addition to their Cotswolds home. A discreet flat in Mayfair, Belgravia, Chelsea, Kensington—or perhaps St James’s if it were primarily an adult working base.

Before you gasp in horror, this is all just me speculating. And I have a good reason for my speculation other than encouraging the Sussexes to live even more extravagant lives. Hear me out.

Even if the Sussexes have no immediate intention of selling Montecito, buying a London flat could make perfect financial and practical sense. Wealthy people do not necessarily keep most of their money sitting in cash. They diversify, and prime real estate—particularly in globally important cities like New York, London, Dubai and Paris—can serve as both a usable home and a long-term store of value.

Harry certainly does not need to be introduced to the concept of families whose wealth is tied up in houses, estates and land. Nor does Meghan. Some of the most successful people in their circle have built substantial property portfolios over time.

Oprah Winfrey has owned homes in California, Hawaii, Colorado, Georgia and Chicago, buying and selling as her life and business interests changed. Her present portfolio still includes substantial holdings in California, Hawaii and Colorado.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are famous for buying, renovating and selling luxury homes, while Kris Jenner has accumulated an assortment of California properties beyond her primary residence—including condos, additional houses and a desert getaway.

The Sussexes could take a similarly strategic view. Their Cotswolds estate would be the family home: private, expansive and close to the children’s school, the English countryside Harry loves and, presumably, King Charles at Highgrove.

Montecito could remain their American base and, perhaps, be sold later if their centre of gravity genuinely shifts to Britain. A London apartment would serve an entirely different purpose—as a secure base for meetings, court appearances, charitable work, fashion appointments, filming, dinners and public engagements.

The way I see it, an 83-acre Cotswolds estate (as has been rumored) could give Harry and Meghan privacy, security, space for the children and the full English-country existence. But it would not make London convenient. Depending on the exact location, a meeting, premiere or evening engagement could mean roughly two hours in the car each way. That becomes ridiculous when Meghan has an early-morning shoot, Harry has several meetings in succession, or they attend a dinner that finishes near midnight.

A London pied-à-terre would give them:

somewhere secure to change and prepare before events;
a base for Meghan’s fashion, media and business meetings;
somewhere for Harry to stay around court dates, charity work and official appointments;
the freedom to attend late dinners without a four-hour round trip;
a private place to entertain people who will not travel to the Cotswolds.

Montecito could remain their American base. It might also be sold later if the family’s centre of gravity genuinely shifts back to Britain. They do not have to make that decision immediately.

Indeed, a London property arguably makes considerably more sense for Harry and Meghan than buying in someplace like Dubai where a lot of affluent Brits and Europeans plunk a lot of their hard-earned cash.

Don’t get me wrong. Dubai is very nice and it may offer sunshine, glamour and certain financial advantages, but London is connected to their actual lives. Harry’s family is in Britain. Their children are reportedly being educated there. His charitable and legal interests regularly bring him to the capital, while Meghan’s work naturally intersects with London’s media, fashion, entertainment and luxury industries.

A property they would use repeatedly is not simply another mansion. It is infrastructure—and potentially a sensible way to preserve capital.

The Cotswolds would be home. Montecito would remain their bridge to America. And London would become headquarters.

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Designed by Marion T.D. Lewis
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