England — In a move that blends political defiance with personal reinvention, Ellen DeGeneres has confirmed she and her wife Portia de Rossi have relocated permanently to the UK, citing Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024 as the final catalyst. The couple, initially in the English countryside for a temporary reprieve, opted to stay after the U.S. political tide turned further rightward.
DeGeneres, 67, known for her long-standing daytime television reign in the United States, remarked that the environment in the UK offers a “calmer, saner, and more beautiful” pace of life. Their residence in the Cotswolds, characterized by its undisturbed rolling fields and stone cottages, has become more than a retreat. It’s now a statement of withdrawal from an American landscape she views as increasingly hostile to LGBTQ rights and democratic norms.
The talk show host, once a staple of daytime media, has largely kept out of the spotlight since her show ended amid allegations of workplace toxicity. In recent comments, she acknowledged the criticism but refused to frame herself as a victim, expressing a desire to leave the past in the past without bitterness. “I’m blunt. I’ve been misunderstood. But I’m not going to relive it,” she reportedly said.
Though retired from her former role, DeGeneres hinted at new projects that may emerge from her time in Britain. These, she clarified, would not resemble her earlier talk show format but rather something “more playful” and far less regimented. Still, she is treading carefully in an unfamiliar media landscape, especially one far from Hollywood’s reach.
Underlying the relocation is a deeper concern over civil rights erosion in the United States. With Southern Baptist organizations and Republican statehouses pushing anti-LGBTQ legislation, including threats to same-sex marriage, DeGeneres noted that remaining in America under a Trump presidency would feel “unsafe” for her and de Rossi. “If we need to remarry here, we will,” she added, alluding to the uncertain legal future for LGBTQ couples in a Republican-dominated judiciary.
While the couple had not initially intended to make their UK residence permanent, Trump’s return to the White House cemented their decision. The choice, DeGeneres said, was as much about peace of mind as it was about politics.
According to Deadline, DeGeneres expressed admiration for the UK’s politeness, animal rights policies, and less chaotic public discourse. “Everything here is just better,” she reportedly said, cementing her critique of the state of American society following Trump’s comeback victory.
