Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are again confronting severe weather damage at their £22.5 million Cotswolds estate after Storm Claudia sent floodwaters across their grounds, renewing doubts about the couple's long-term plans in the United Kingdom. The property, purchased in 2024 and priced at roughly $30 million, has now faced two significant flooding events in under a year, intensifying speculation that they may return to California sooner than expected.
Local rivers surrounding the 43-acre, seven-bedroom estate overflowed after heavy rainfall, inundating nearby fields and access routes. Although there is no confirmed interior damage, the effects mirror the flooding that occurred shortly after DeGeneres and de Rossi moved to the UK during late 2024, fueling concerns about the viability of selling the property. Last year, DeGeneres reassured followers, stating on Instagram: "For those of you concerned, our UK farmhouse did NOT flood." The latest storm has revived questions about whether that assurance can continue to hold.
The couple purchased Kitesbridge Farm for around £15 million in June 2024 and relisted it for approximately £22.5 million after extensive renovations. The 50% price increase raised eyebrows within the regional luxury-property market, with one estate agent calling the valuation an "absolutely crazy price." Recurrent weather incidents have further complicated the sale, as rural estates in low-lying areas increasingly encounter insurance barriers, reduced buyer confidence and long-term habitability concerns.
Storm Claudia also caused disruptions in Wales and other regions, highlighting the broader instability brought on by a season of heavy storms across the UK. The flooding at celebrity-owned properties has become part of a wider narrative about shifting climate risks in the English countryside, where picturesque river-adjacent estates now face significantly higher exposure.
DeGeneres and de Rossi moved to Britain following the 2024 U.S. elections, describing the countryside as a welcome respite from Hollywood. They settled into the quieter rhythm of rural life and continued their long-standing pattern of buying, renovating and listing luxury properties. But sources close to the couple now suggest they are increasingly drawn back toward California. Reports this week indicated that both miss the climate and their core social circle, while de Rossi is said to be exploring a return to acting work in the U.S.
One insider told reporters that DeGeneres has been "telling friends they are coming home soon because they miss them and can't take the winters over there," adding that the couple expects to spend the holidays in California and may extend their stay. Their U.S. real-estate exit before relocating to the UK-selling a Montecito property for nearly $30 million in early 2025 and listing another home bought for $2.9 million at around $5 million-suggests they are well positioned to reenter the California market quickly.
