PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle are set on a European return after buying a home in Portugal, it is claimed.
The couple – who live with their two kids in California – are said to have splashed out after being asked to vacate their former UK home Frogmore Cottage by King Charles two years ago.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly been staying with Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank, who own a home in Melides, south of Lisbon.
It is understood during the three-night break they also went house hunting.
A source confirmed the trip to the Daily Telegraph.
The purchase may allow the Sussexes to acquire a “Golden Visa”, where they would have access to the EU’s Schengen area, reports the Daily Mail.
It will give them a base to stop off at whenever they make transatlantic flights to see friends and family, or make appearances at events.
The couple’s Portugal break comes after they attended the Invictus Games in Germany before heading back to the US to see their children Archie, five, and three-year-old Lilibet.
They are understood to have flown from Dusseldorf to Lisbon before driving an hour south to the coastal town of Melides, in the Alentejo region.
Earlier this year, they undertook two “faux royal” trips to Africa and Columbia.
Since then Harry has been on his own solo world tour, including stop offs in New York, the UK and a return to Africa.
It comes as the King and Queen Camilla are heading to Australia and Somoa tomorrow for an action-packed nine days.
Their trip comes six years after Meghan and Harry’s high profile trip Down Under which is said to have “broken” the couple.
According to a royal expert the Sussexes’ trip became a “catalyst” for leaving their roles as senior working roles and relocating to America.
They stepped down as working royals in March 2020 and have since fuelled a major rift with many members of the Firm thanks to controversial tell-all interviews and Harry’s memoir Spare.
FROGMORE COTTAGE
The late Queen Elizabeth II gave Frogmore Cottage in Windsor to the Sussexes in 2018 as a wedding present.
It was leased to Eugenie and her husband in 2020 after the Sussexes moved to the US.
The Duke and Duchess purchased their first home together, a sprawling, nine-bedroomed property in Montecito, California, in June 2020 for $14.6 million (£11.2 million).
The 16-bath home is located in a star-studded enclave in California and sits on 5.4 acres of land.
Fit for royalty, it features a library, office, spa, gym, game room, wine cellar and five-car garage, it’s believed.
The estate also boasts sweeping lawns, tiered rose gardens, tall Italian cypress trees, blooming lavender, olive trees, a tenniscourt, tea house, children’s cottage and a pool.
There is even a chicken coop with “Archie’s Chick Inn”, which has rescue hens.
Despite the home sounding like a dream pad, it does come with a lot of work, according to Eric Bramlett, realtor and owner of Bramlett Residential in Austin, Texas.
Speaking to Fabulous, Eric shared: “Managing a $14million mansion like Harry and Meghan’s in Montecito takes a lot of work.
“Even for modern luxuryhomes that big, you need a good-sized staff and high operating costs.
“A house with 9 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a pool, tennis court, and guesthouse probably needs around 10-15 full-time staff.
“That could include housekeepers, a house manager, private chef, and likely some security because they are famous.
“Just paying the staff salaries, utilities, landscaping, maintenance, security, and more could easily cost hundreds of thousands per year.
“Big renovations and repairs like roofing, HVAC, appliances would cost even more sometimes.”
He added that the grounds – including the pool, trees and tennis court – will require groundsmen and professional help.
Eric continued: “It’s like running a small boutique hotel with residential service.”
The Sun has contacted the Sussexes’ representatives for comment.
