An appearance at an Oxfordshire pub with Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi has reportedly raised eyebrows as the Sussexes settle into life in the Cotswolds.

Meghan Markle’s efforts to build a new life in the British countryside have reportedly hit an awkward moment after she was spotted enjoying a pub outing with former US talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi. According to a source quoted by the Daily Express, Prince Harry has been encouraging Meghan to tone down her celebrity connections as the couple try to establish themselves in their new surroundings.

Meghan, 45, was seen with Ellen and Portia at The Three Horseshoes near Burford, Oxfordshire, on September 21. An eyewitness told Page Six that the trio appeared relaxed, chatting and laughing together before Meghan left.

However, the sighting reportedly prompted questions about how the Duchess of Sussex intends to balance her Hollywood connections with her desire to integrate into local British life.

Harry reportedly wants Meghan to embrace life in the Cotswolds

A source speaking to the Daily Express claimed that Meghan was making an effort to build relationships beyond the entertainment industry.

“Meghan’s priority in the UK is settling down and making friends, and these aren’t showbiz friends, but school mums and Cotswolds residents,” the source said.

The insider added that Meghan was trying to avoid appearing too closely associated with Hollywood, suggesting that being photographed with a celebrity who has attracted controversy was not necessarily helpful to that effort.

The source also claimed that Harry had been encouraging his wife to rein in her celebrity tendencies, although Meghan was reportedly making a genuine effort to adapt to her new surroundings.

Harry, meanwhile, is said to be delighted to be back in Britain and has been privately reconnecting with school friends he had not seen for years.

According to the same source, Meghan has also been pleased with the reception she has received from people living in the Cotswolds. Despite uncertainty about how locals might respond to her, the insider suggested that her arrival had not provoked the hostility she may have anticipated.

Meghan’s friendship with Ellen DeGeneres comes under scrutiny

The pub photographs also prompted commentary from royal observers, who questioned whether Meghan was bringing her established celebrity circle from California into her new life in England.

Royal commentator Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that Meghan appeared to be demonstrating that her celebrity network extended beyond California, suggesting she wanted to maintain a prominent social profile in the Cotswolds.

Kinsey Schofield offered a similar interpretation, arguing that the outing could suggest Meghan was attempting to recreate aspects of her former Montecito lifestyle in the British countryside, combining privacy with the company of recognisable public figures.

These comments reflect the observers’ interpretations of the photographs rather than any confirmed intention on Meghan’s part.

A representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed to the Daily Express that Meghan remains good friends with both Ellen and Portia when approached for comment.

A friendship that goes back several years

Meghan and Ellen have known each other for years. Meghan appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2021, and she and Harry attended the television personality’s vow-renewal celebration in 2023.

Their friendship has continued despite Ellen’s withdrawal from mainstream television and her move away from California.

Ellen and Portia relocated to the Cotswolds in November 2024. Ellen subsequently told the BBC that their decision to leave the United States followed Donald Trump’s re-election as president.

The move placed the couple in the same rural region that Meghan and Harry have increasingly been associated with as they establish their life in Britain.

Hollywood names drawn to the British countryside

The Cotswolds has long attracted well-known figures seeking a quieter lifestyle away from major entertainment centres.

Among the celebrities associated with the area are Beyoncé and Jay-Z, David and Victoria Beckham, Liam Gallagher and Kate Moss.

Television presenter Jeremy Clarkson also has a prominent presence nearby through Diddly Squat Farm and the Farmer’s Dog pub in Burford. The pub is reportedly only a five-minute drive from The Three Horseshoes, where Meghan met Ellen and Portia.

For the Sussexes, the challenge is likely to be finding a balance between their international public profiles and the more private life they are seeking in Britain.

Whether Meghan’s latest outing will have any lasting effect on that transition remains unclear. For now, the reported advice from Harry and the reaction to the photographs have placed fresh attention on how the couple intend to navigate their relationships with both Hollywood friends and their new community in the Cotswolds.