Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's reported move toward establishing a new base in the Cotswolds is already generating interest among locals, with content creator Josie Irons joking that an encounter with the Duchess of Sussex at the fashionable Daylesford farm shop may be only a matter of time.
Irons, who has lived in the Cotswolds with her husband for six years, addressed Meghan's potential arrival in a TikTok video after a follower asked what she would say if she encountered the Duchess while shopping at Daylesford. The question followed reports that Harry and Meghan have returned to Britain with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet for an extended stay.
"Honestly I would just say to them, 'Welcome to the Cotswolds. Hey, Meghan, do you want to come and do a reformer Pilates class with me?'" Irons said.
Irons acknowledged that the imagined invitation was a joke, but continued: "Although I do think we would be very good friends. That's my toxic trait, thinking that I would just be friends with Meghan Markle."
Daylesford, a prominent organic farm shop and lifestyle destination in the Cotswolds, has figured prominently in speculation about the type of life Meghan could pursue in the English countryside. The Duchess has frequently shown an interest in cooking, gardening and food-focused lifestyle projects, making the area's collection of farm shops and rural businesses a natural point of interest.
Irons said she wasn't surprised by reports that the Sussexes were looking to establish themselves in the area. "I'm really, really happy for them. I genuinely am really thrilled for them," she said. "If I was in their shoes, I would be doing the exact same thing."
The Cotswolds has long attracted prominent residents seeking greater privacy than London can offer. Irons said celebrities can generally go to restaurants, pubs and shops without attracting sustained attention from residents.
"It's no secret that tons of celebrities live here and by and large they get to live a pretty normal life," Irons said. She argued that the combination of countryside, privacy and a strong local community could make the area particularly appealing to Harry and Meghan as they spend more time in Britain.
Meghan's interests could also fit comfortably with the region's lifestyle, Irons said. "It's no secret Meghan, I think she loves her gardening, she loves her farm shops," she said.
For Harry, the geography offers another potential advantage: proximity to King Charles III. The King's private country residence, Highgrove House, is in Gloucestershire, providing a potential opportunity for Harry and his family to spend more time near Charles as the Sussexes rebuild a presence in Britain.
Harry and Meghan reportedly arrived in the U.K. in late August with Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five. Their children are expected to begin schooling in Britain in September, according to the reports, while the family is also expected to retain its home in Montecito, Calif.
A return to the Cotswolds would also represent familiar territory for the Sussexes. Harry and Meghan rented a farmhouse in the region around the time of their May 2018 wedding, before they stepped back as senior working members of the Royal Family and relocated to North America in 2020.
The couple is now reportedly considering a larger Cotswolds property as part of its renewed U.K. presence, although no permanent residence has been publicly confirmed. Privacy and security are expected to remain significant considerations in any decision about where the family settles.
Irons said the region could offer advantages beyond seclusion, pointing to its schools and community as potential attractions for Archie and Lilibet. She predicted the family would "absolutely love" living in the area, where high-profile residents routinely coexist with a quieter rural population.
