A new start in Europe?

Harry and Meghan buy luxury home in Portugal

Harry and Meghan are said to have bought a house in southern Europe.

(Bild: APA Pool/RAUL ARBOLEDA / AFP)

A new chapter for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: the glamorous couple have reportedly secured a lavish vacation home in Portugal.

After being forced to move out of Frogmore Cottage, their former British residence, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are now said to have treated themselves to the luxury of a European retreat in the picturesque countryside north of Lisbon.

"Golden visa" applied for?
This extravagant property could not only be the perfect place for private family moments, but also a smart investment for the future. 

Buying the house in Portugal could have enabled the Sussexes to acquire a so-called "Golden Visa", which would give them visa-free access to the European Union's Schengen area, reports the Daily Mail. This is made possible with the purchase of property in Portugal for at least 500,000 euros.

British media speculate that the house will give the Duke and Duchess the opportunity for Harry to be accompanied by his family to Europe without having to take them with him to England, where he is still fighting for police protection. 

Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank also have a home in the area and spend part of the year at CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club, where Brooksbanks also works. Eugenie posted a photo with her two children on the beach over the summer, showing how happy they are there. Rumors persist that Harry and Meghan are actually only on friendly terms with Princess Eugenie. 

Christmas at Uncle Charles Spencer's?
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have been married since 2018. In 2020, they left the UK with their son Archie and settled in California, where daughter Lilibet was born in 2021. They kept their British home at Frogmore Cottage for their few trips to Harry's old home.

However, after the publication of Harry's memoirs "Spare", King Charles sent the couple an eviction notice for their British domicile. Since then, they have been staying in a hotel or with Harry's uncle Charles, the Earl of Spencer, Princess Diana's brother. He is also said to have invited them for the Christmas holidays.

It remains to be seen whether Portugal will become the new hub of Harry and Meghan's jet-set life. What is certain, however, is that they will continue to make headlines - this time under the Portuguese sun.