Meghan Markle Spotted With Ellen DeGeneres in First Photographed UK Outing Since Sussexes' Return

Meghan Markle has been photographed in Britain for the first time since returning to the country with Prince Harry and their two children, with the Duchess of Sussex seen at a Cotswolds pub alongside Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi.

Markle was photographed at The Three Horseshoes near Burford, Oxfordshire, on Monday, 21 September. Images obtained by Page Six showed her chatting and laughing with DeGeneres and de Rossi outside the 18th-century pub. An earlier reported sighting at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire this month was not photographed.

The outing came as Prince Harry attended the annual WellChild Awards in London, marking another public engagement for the Duke since the family returned to Britain on 26 August. WellChild confirmed Harry attended the ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel for the 16th time and has been the charity's patron for 18 years.

Meghan's First Photographed UK Appearance

According to Page Six, Markle was seen at the pub at around 2pm, where an eyewitness said she appeared to be chatting and laughing with DeGeneres and de Rossi before saying goodbye to the couple. She wore white trousers, a light-blue top, white trainers and sunglasses.

The sighting provides the first published photographs of Meghan in Britain since the Sussexes returned from California. Unlike Harry, who has attended several public events since their arrival, Meghan has so far remained out of the public spotlight.

Harry attended the Invictus Spirit Gala Dinner and Awards on 17 September before travelling to London for the WellChild ceremony. The charity said he spent time with award winners and their families during the event.

Meghan's appearance at The Three Horseshoes was not an official engagement and appears to have been a private meeting with the couple.

Meghan And DeGeneres' Cotswolds Connection

Meghan and Harry have maintained a friendship with DeGeneres and de Rossi for several years. The Sussexes attended the couple's vow renewal in 2023, while Meghan appeared on DeGeneres' former talk show in 2021.

The couples also previously lived near one another in Montecito, California. DeGeneres and de Rossi relocated to the Cotswolds in 2024 before later purchasing another property in Montecito. The couple have since been reported to divide their time between California and England.

Their connection to the Cotswolds has continued despite the change in their living arrangements, putting them in the same part of England as Meghan and Harry following the Sussexes' return.

Sussex Children Change Schools

The sighting comes less than a month after Meghan and Harry returned to Britain with Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five. The children began school in the UK in September but were moved to another school after two days following discussions between the couple and their security team.

The couple's spokesperson said the decision followed discussions about the practicalities of their arrangements and was not a reflection on the original school's staff. Reports said the distance and heavy traffic on the school route had raised concerns for the family's security team.

Harry has continued his public engagements since the family's return, while Meghan has been working on her lifestyle brand, As Ever. The photographs from Oxfordshire now provide the first public images of Meghan since the Sussexes' return, showing her reconnecting with longtime friends in the English countryside.