Meghan Markle and Prince Harry face blunt verdict from Cotswolds local in live TV interview
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been given a distinctly mixed welcome from a Cotswolds local after a GB News report asked residents what they thought about the couple reportedly planning a return to the UK.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to be preparing to move back to Britain later this year, with reports suggesting they could settle close to King Charles’ Highgrove residence in Gloucestershire. Their children, Archie and Lilibet, are also expected to attend school in the area.
But when GB News national reporter Jack Carson visited Cirencester and spoke to local market stall holders, one resident made it clear that he was far from convinced the move was a good idea.
‘I don’t think they should come back’
Asked what he thought about Harry and Meghan potentially returning to the UK, the local gave a straightforward response.
“I don’t think they should come back to the UK.”
He argued that the couple had previously made it clear they wanted distance from the Royal Family and suggested their past decisions meant they might be better off remaining in the United States.
The stall holder stressed that his comments were not intended as a personal attack on Meghan.
“I think Meghan, none of that got anything against her personally. But she didn’t want anything to do with the royal family.”
He added that, in his view, the things Harry and Meghan had said and done meant they would be better staying in America.
He hopes Harry and King Charles can reconcile
Despite his reservations about the couple’s return, the local had a much warmer view of the possibility of Harry repairing his relationship with his father.
When asked whether living closer to King Charles could help bring the pair back together, he said such a reconciliation would be “very good”.
The man drew on his own experience as a father, explaining that he had also experienced a period when one of his sons became distant from the family.
He said they were now speaking again and getting along much better, adding that he hoped Harry and the King could eventually reach a similar point.
“It would be very nice if they could get back together again. Yes, that would be really, really good.”
He later repeated that, while he did not believe Harry and Meghan should return, he would welcome the opportunity for Harry and his father to reconcile.
“It’d be nice if they could reconcile with their father.”
A warm assessment of life in the Cotswolds
The local’s criticism of the proposed move did not extend to the area itself.
Asked what Harry and Meghan could expect from life in the Cotswolds, he described it as a beautiful place with welcoming people.
The region has become increasingly associated with celebrities, with names including the Beckhams, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi, and Jeremy Clarkson among those linked to the area.
The market stall holder said he had been visiting the Cotswolds for many years and praised both the surroundings and the people who live there.
“It’s a wonderful place to live, isn’t it?”
Although he does not personally live in the Cotswolds and travels there from the forest, he said he had long enjoyed visiting the area.
He also acknowledged the concentration of high-profile residents in the region, describing it as a particularly attractive place to live.
“It is a lovely area to live.”
For Harry and Meghan, the comments offered a revealing snapshot of the mixed reaction they could encounter if they do return to the UK. While the Cotswolds itself received an enthusiastic endorsement, at least one local made clear that he remained unconvinced about the Sussexes becoming residents — even while hoping their return might ultimately give Harry and King Charles another chance to repair their relationship.