The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have allegedly set their sights on a new home in Portugal, though the details paint a very different picture than the glamorous rumor suggests.
What’s being talked about as a palace is, in reality, nothing more than a plot of land in an unfinished development. The site in question is located in the Costa Terra Golf and Ocean Club, a future luxury resort in southern Portugal, which is still in the early stages of construction. It’s worth mentioning that this area has long been of interest to members of the British Royal Family. Harry’s cousin, Princess Eugenie, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, are said to have invested in property there as well.
The difference, however, is that Eugenie and Jack have been transparent about their purchase and are waiting for the actual building to be completed, while Harry and Meghan's rumored "home" is still little more than a patch of undeveloped land.
The absurdity of this rumored real estate acquisition becomes even clearer upon further inspection. The Costa Terra Club, which will feature approximately 300 luxury properties, is far from completion. Prices for the homes are expected to start at a staggering €4 million, yet Harry and Meghan’s supposed new residence appears to be nothing more than a bare plot. The entire development is still years away from being fully realized.
So while many are speculating about this latest real estate endeavor, it seems the Sussexes may have simply purchased a piece of land with no home in sight. This raises the question: why invest in something so incomplete? Some speculate that this could have been a favor to Jack Brooksbank, who is reportedly involved in the project. Perhaps Harry and Meghan were enlisted to help boost interest in these properties, which might be struggling to attract buyers due to a downturn in Portugal’s luxury real estate market.
Is Portugal really the next hot destination, or is this development destined to fizzle out before it even begins? The country's housing market has been sluggish, and interest in high-end properties like those in the Costa Terra development appears to be waning. Jack might be banking on Harry and Meghan’s royal status to breathe life into the project. Even if the Sussexes do eventually visit their Portuguese plot, they’d have to wait a considerable amount of time before the development is completed and ready for occupancy. Given the slow pace of construction, they might be better off packing a lunch and waiting for the grand opening, which could be years away.
There are also whispers that Meghan may be using this rumor as a way to keep herself in the spotlight. Some believe that the notion of the Duchess of Sussex moving to Europe could be a strategic backup plan, just in case life in California doesn’t pan out as expected. However, this potential purchase doesn’t quite add up. The Discovery Land Company, which is behind the Costa Terra project, has a history of developing high-end resorts, but their timelines can stretch on indefinitely. If this project follows that trend, Harry and Meghan might not have a place to call home in Portugal until Meghan is well into her fifties.
At the end of the day, all we’re left with is a plot of land and a swirl of speculation. Much like many of the Sussexes’ ventures, there seems to be a lot of talk but little to show for it. The allure of owning a secluded property in a far-off destination is usually tied to the promise of privacy, but for Harry and Meghan, maintaining relevance seems to take precedence over staying off the grid. It’s also not the first time they’ve been linked to developments like this. Not long ago, they were reportedly seen in Costa Rica scoping out another similar project, which, much like Costa Terra, remains a work in progress. By the time the Costa Terra development finally opens its doors, it’s likely that the Sussexes will have moved on to the next rumored real estate venture, chasing the dream of a perfect home across the globe. This latest rumor seems less like a royal investment and more like a well-crafted PR stunt, keeping us all guessing while little comes to fruition.
