The return of Meghan Markle to the UK may already be ruffling feathers in her new neighborhood. A potential neighbor has reportedly given the Duchess a blunt new nickname tied to her personal style. This raises questions about how smoothly the Sussexes’ fresh start in the English countryside will really go.
Designer expert and new neighbor coins ‘Duchess of Beige’ nickname for Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to be settling into the Cotswolds, a couple of hours away from London. This will mark their first long-term UK residence in six years. While the couple has not officially confirmed the location of their new home, strong speculation points to this picturesque region.
Home to celebrities like the Beckhams and Jeremy Clarkson, a potential neighbour for Harry and Meghan could also be interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. Known for his work on the BBC’s “Changing Rooms,” the interior designer says that he would welcome the Sussexes into his Llewelyn Bowen Pattern Emporium shop for “cushions or curtains.”
However, he doubts that Meghan would embrace his colorful aesthetic, reported the Daily Express US. “I’m not entirely sure we’re ever going to be Meghan’s cup of tea,” he says. “What we do is very colorful. It’s probably far too exciting for the Duchess of Beige.”
Llewelyn-Bowen adds that owning a few of his shop’s cushions could help the Duchess “be taken seriously by the ladies of the area.” Then he doubles down on the nickname: “I think that might just stick. Duchess of Beige.” Llewelyn-Bowen also warns that Cotswolds locals can “smell b******” and that Meghan would need to be “confident” about who she wants to be in her UK return.
Not everyone in the area has been as measured in their reactions. One resident reportedly tells the couple to “get lost” and take Ellen DeGeneres, also a Cotswolds resident, with them. The reception comes as Harry and Meghan look to put down roots in the UK after years abroad, having left their senior royal duties in 2020.
Reports now suggest that they are eyeing UK homes priced upwards of £10 million ($13.5 million). For King Charles, though, his son’s move back may carry a silver lining. Insiders suggest he is hopeful it could pave the way for a thaw in Harry’s relationship with Prince William.
