The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, was recently spotted at the Three Horseshoes pub in Burford, Cotswolds, with US television host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, according to photos shared by Page Six. Meghan, dressed in a blue oversized shirt and white jeans, was seen laughing and chatting with DeGeneres. The two had previously been neighbors in Montecito, California, and now live near each other in the Cotswolds. Ellen, who moved to the UK in 2024, resides in a large, minimalist wooden home with floor-to-ceiling windows and an outdoor pool. Meghan had previously appeared on DeGeneres’ talk show and adopted one of the host’s rescue chickens, and the two are said to have remained friends. With her new life in the Cotswolds, Meghan may benefit from the support of someone like Ellen, as forming a local social circle could be challenging. Meghan’s recent outing with DeGeneres marks one of her first public appearances in the UK since moving to the area, aside from a low-key visit to Soho Farmhouse, a private members’ club near her home. The question of who exactly is in her new social circle remains unclear, especially with the ongoing tensions within the royal family. Harry, Meghan’s husband, and his brother, William, the future king, are currently in a public rift. Additionally, King Charles, who lives nearby at Highgrove, has a strong presence in the area, and many of the local aristocrats and celebrities are likely to align with him and William rather than Harry and Meghan. Recent tensions have also been fueled by the Earl of Spencer, Harry and William’s uncle, who claims in his new memoir that King Charles once said, “we’ll forget her soon enough” about Diana, the late Princess of Wales. The Palace has responded by saying the King was reflecting on the pain of grief, which may have clouded his memory. This has made the social landscape even more complex for Meghan and Harry, who are trying to build a new life in the Cotswolds. Establishing a royal court or a new social circle may be difficult given the current climate. While there are potential friends in the area, such as Simon Cowell, who has publicly praised Harry, and Markus Anderson, a close friend of Meghan who helped arrange her early dates with Harry, others like Princess Beatrice and the Beckhams are more cautious. With the recent controversies surrounding the royal family, many are keeping their distance from the Sussexes to maintain good relations with King Charles and William. For Meghan, the challenge of building a new network in the Cotswolds is proving to be as complex as her transition from royal life.