Ellen DeGeneres Confirms She Left America – Here’s What She Said

Ellen DeGeneres has confirmed she now lives in the UK. The former daytime TV host shared details of her new life during a recent appearance in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, revealing that she and her wife, Portia de Rossi, relocated shortly after Donald Trump was re-elected.

“We moved here in November,” she told the audience. “It wasn’t the ideal time, but I saw snow for the first time in my life.” The couple now lives in the English countryside and has embraced a quieter lifestyle. DeGeneres described the area as peaceful, charming, and a refreshing change from life in the U.S.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said. “We’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty. The villages and the towns and the architecture — everything you see is charming, and it’s just a simpler way of life.”

Their new routine includes caring for chickens and briefly, a few sheep, which were sold after they kept escaping. Rossi even flew her horses across the Atlantic.

DeGeneres praised many aspects of British life, calling it cleaner and more considerate. “Everything here is just better — the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here,” she said.

She also mentioned they are considering renewing their vows in England. The move 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.

DeGeneres’ transition to life in the UK began quietly in late 2024. A source close to the comedian confirmed she was house hunting in England as early as October. “She ended up finding a house that she loved and purchased it shortly after,” the source said.

The move came just months after DeGeneres and Rossi sold their California estate in Carpinteria. The property was listed for $96 million and sold in August, according to a real estate insider who spoke to People.

DeGeneres is no stranger to the housing market. Known for her passion for home design, she has built a reputation as a prolific buyer and seller of luxury homes. In May 2024, she sold a renovated property in Montecito for $32 million. A year earlier, she offloaded another Montecito home for $15 million, just months after acquiring it.

By her own count, DeGeneres has flipped more than 50 homes. In a 2023 interview with The Riv, a local lifestyle publication, she explained that she doesn’t travel much, so house flipping serves as her version of travel. She said the scenery changes while she remains in the same general area, offering her a new place and a fresh perspective.

Her portfolio includes a range of high-end properties, from a $6 million Santa Barbara cottage listed in 2022 to a $12 million Malibu estate once owned by Brad Pitt. Now, DeGeneres is embracing a different kind of real estate experience. Her new home is in the Cotswolds, a region known for its scenic countryside and celebrity residents.

The area is a favored retreat for British stars. The Beckhams, Kate Moss, and Elizabeth all have homes there. Even King Charles’ estate, Highgrove House, is in the region. For DeGeneres, it marks a shift from luxury on the California coast to the quiet charm of rural England.

Since settling in the UK, DeGeneres has been offering fans a window into her new life through social media. Her posts reflect a shift toward slow living, hands-on tasks, and time spent outdoors.

In one video, she is seen landscaping and feeding chickens. The caption read, “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 focused on her growing flock. DeGeneres gave a tour of the chickens’ enclosure and showed how they were settling in. “We got more chickens,” she wrote. “They’re still a bit ‘chicken’ but they’re warming up to their new home.”

She added that their U.S. chickens were being cared for by a “chickensitter,” and joked they were excited to have “chicken cousins.” She also shared a clip of sheep sprinting around her property.

The animals had been brought in to help manage the grass. “We got sheep to maintain the grass,” she wrote, “but they keep escaping. I’m not sure if this is easier than using the lawnmower.”

DeGeneres has taken up rowing as well. In May, she posted a video of herself on the water with Rossi, 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?”

Earlier, in April, she posted a picture of Rossi photographing a rainbow. The caption read, “3 things that make me happy: My wife, a rainbow, and my wife taking a photograph of a rainbow.”

In December 2024, she marked a relationship milestone with a heartfelt selfie and message. Reflecting on their 20-year journey together, DeGeneres wrote that she was grateful to share life with someone who lifts her and helps her see the good in everything.

She ended the post by looking ahead, “So happy we get to travel and explore the world together in the next 20 years, and looking forward to our first snowy Christmas.”