Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s reported UK home may never have appeared on Rightmove or Zoopla, according to one property expert who says privacy is likely to have taken priority over grandeur.
Reports suggest the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have secured a private, non-royal property ahead of spending more time in Britain with their children.
While its location remains undisclosed, Cal Graham (main picture, inset), Property Expert at We Buy Any Home, says the requirements of such a high-profile family provide some clues about the type of property they may have chosen.
One possibility is that the property was sourced off-market, avoiding the photographs, floorplans and other digital records created when homes are advertised publicly.
OFF-MARKET
Graham says: “A public listing can leave behind photographs, floor plans and a detailed digital history. An off-market arrangement would dramatically reduce the number of people who knew the property was available or being viewed.”
The Sussexes could also have chosen to rent rather than buy, providing greater flexibility while limiting publicly available ownership information.
“Renting privately could make the move faster and more discreet. It would also allow the family to decide whether the area, school journeys and access to London work before making a permanent commitment,” Graham says.
PRIVACY OVER POSTCODE
Rather than a conspicuous country mansion, Graham believes an understated property surrounded by sufficient land or screening could provide greater privacy.
“What surrounds the property will be just as important as the house itself,” he says. “A home can be extremely expensive but still feel exposed if it is overlooked or positioned too close to busy public areas.”
A property on a professionally managed private estate could also provide security, maintenance and other services without requiring the family to operate a substantial standalone country estate.
HOME AND WORK
The property may also need to function as a workplace, with private offices and flexible rooms accommodating meetings and staff.
Graham says: “High-profile buyers increasingly want homes that function as private workplaces. Dedicated work areas can prevent business activity from disrupting the family’s main living space.”
And finding the home may itself have involved a highly controlled process.
He adds: “A buying or rental agent can act as a buffer between a high-profile client and the wider market. Details may only be shared with a small number of financially qualified people when absolutely necessary.
“The biggest clue may ultimately be the absence of clues. If the property was sourced privately, never marketed online and rented through a discreet intermediary, the public may learn very little about it until the family chooses to say more.”
