After decades in the public eye, Ellen DeGeneres has found a new, quieter lifestyle far from the cameras, settling in the UK shortly after Donald Trump’s re-election. The former daytime TV host confirmed her move during a recent appearance in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, revealing that she and her wife, Portia de Rossi, relocated in November 2024.
A New Chapter in the English Countryside
DeGeneres described their new home in the English countryside as peaceful, charming, and a refreshing change from life in the U.S. “It’s absolutely beautiful,” she shared, highlighting the stunning villages, architecture, and a “simpler way of life.” Their new routine involves caring for chickens and, briefly, sheep that proved to be escape artists. Portia de Rossi even brought her horses across the Atlantic. DeGeneres praised British life, calling it cleaner and more considerate, noting, “Everything here is just better — the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here.” She also mentioned they are considering renewing their vows in England, a decision that comes amid concerns over efforts in the U.S. to roll back same-sex marriage rights. “America can still be scary for people to be who they are,” she added.
The transition began quietly in late 2024, with sources confirming DeGeneres was house hunting in England by October and purchased a home shortly after. This move followed the sale of her California estate in Carpinteria for $96 million in August. DeGeneres is well-known for her passion for home design and has a history of flipping over 50 luxury homes. She considers house flipping her version of travel, providing new scenery while staying in the same general area. Her extensive real estate portfolio includes properties from Santa Barbara to Malibu. Her new UK home is in the Cotswolds, a picturesque region popular with celebrities like the Beckhams and Kate Moss, and even King Charles. This marks a significant shift from the luxury of the California coast to the quiet charm of rural England.
Sharing Her New Lifestyle
Since settling in the UK, DeGeneres has been sharing glimpses of her new life on social media, reflecting a focus on slow living, hands-on tasks, and spending time outdoors. In one video, she showed herself landscaping and feeding chickens, captioning it, “Some people have a dream of becoming a farmer. Clearly our dream was to become a landscape maintenance crew with a little farming on the side.” Another post highlighted her growing flock, with DeGeneres joking about their U.S. chickens having “chicken cousins.” She also shared a clip of sheep brought in to manage the grass, humorously noting their tendency to escape.
DeGeneres has also taken up rowing, posting a video with Rossi in May, playfully writing, “Life update — Portia and I are now rowers. We’ve already learned so much. For example, did you know the pointy end of the boat is the front?” In April, she shared a picture of Rossi photographing a rainbow, with a heartfelt caption: “3 things that make me happy: My wife, a rainbow, and my wife taking a photograph of a rainbow.” In December 2024, she marked their 20-year journey together with a selfie and a message of gratitude for a partner who lifts her up and helps her see the good in everything. She concluded the post by looking forward to “travel and explore the world together in the next 20 years, and looking forward to our first snowy Christmas.”