Are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Buying a Home in Portugal as a ‘Power Move’?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may not plan to ever return to Britain, but they still want to keep a foothold on that side of the Atlantic—and have reportedly bought a new home in Portugal, not far from Princess Eugenie’s holiday pad, to be their European base.

According to some newspaper reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (who were evicted from their cottage in Windsor by King Charles last year) have bought a home in Alentejo, just over an hour’s drive from the coastal town of Melides, where Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank have a house. Speaking to MailOnline, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said that the Sussexes’ decision to purchase in the area “emphasizes that they still have goodwill” with a few select members of The Firm, and “makes clear that they are connected closely to part of the royal family.”

In an interview for ITV’s documentary Tabloids on Trial, which aired earlier this year, Prince Harry said that he was increasingly concerned about security in the UK, remarking: “It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.” It is not surprising, therefore, that the Sussexes have chosen a base in the EU that is well away from Britain. Their decision to settle in Portugal, however, is significant. Amid the fracturing of the family tree that was the result of Harry and Meghan’s choice to step back from royal duties, one member of the family has managed to stay friendly with both sides: Princess Eugenie.

Princess Eugenie has, along with her sister, Princess Beatrice, supported Prince William at various public engagements in recent months, to the extent that many see him giving them both more prominent roles as working royals when he ascends the throne. Meanwhile, Eugenie has maintained a solid friendship with William’s estranged brother, and was even running in the same circles as Meghan Markle long before the former actor met her prince. It’s understood, says The Express, that the pair originally met through a mutual friend, the fashion designer Misha Nonoo—and indeed, they both attended Nonoo’s wedding in 2012, when she tied the knot with now ex-husband Alexander Gilkes, an old school friend of Harry’s.