Kathrine Frich
DeGeneres described how much she and Portia enjoy the English countryside.
DeGeneres described how much she and Portia enjoy the English countryside.
Moved to the U.K. Because of Trump
Ellen DeGeneres has revealed that her permanent move to the United Kingdom was directly inspired by Donald Trump’s re-election.
In a live interview in England, the former talk show host shared that what started as a part-time plan quickly turned into a full-time relocation, thanks to U.S. politics.
A Planned Getaway Turned Permanent
DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, originally intended to spend only three or four months a year at their new home in the U.K.
But when Trump won a second term, they changed their plans.
“We got here the day before the election,” DeGeneres said. “And woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in.’ … And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’”
“Yes” Trump Was the Reason
Speaking at the Everyman theatre in Cheltenham on July 20, DeGeneres was asked by broadcaster Richard Bacon if Trump played a role in their decision to stay.
Her answer was simple: “Yes.”
It marked her first public confirmation of the rumors linking the move to politics.
A Life Surrounded by Beauty
In the same conversation, DeGeneres described how much she and Portia enjoy the English countryside.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said. “The villages and the towns and the architecture, everything you see is charming and it’s just a simpler way of life.”
Settling Into the Cotswolds
The couple relocated to the Cotswolds in November 2024, shortly after selling their California estate for $96 million.
“We moved here in November, which was not the ideal time, but I saw snow for the first time in my life,” DeGeneres said.
“We love it here. Portia flew her horses here, and I have chickens, and we had sheep for about two weeks.”
“Everything Here Is Just Better”
Beyond the scenery, DeGeneres talked about the cultural differences that won her over.
“Everything here is just better, the way animals are treated, people are polite,” she said. “I just love it here.”
Real Estate Move Came First
According to reports, Ellen and Portia began house-hunting in England in early October 2024 and purchased a property soon after.
A source told PEOPLE, “She ended up finding a house that she loved and purchased it shortly after.”
Rosie O’Donnell Was Surprised
The revelation even caught fellow comedian Rosie O’Donnell off guard.
“I’ve never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump,” O’Donnell told Us Weekly.
“Like, that shocked me, actually.”
