Ellen DeGeneres is seen back in Montecito weeks after moving to England and ‘leaving US for good’ post-Trump win
Just a few months after moving to the English countryside and vowing never to return following Donald Trump’s election victory, Ellen DeGeneres is back in the good old USA.
The 66-year-old talk show host apparently couldn’t stay away from her roots, specifically Montecito, California, after she and wife Portia de Rossi reportedly decided to start a new life across the pond in November, new exclusive DailyMail.com photos show.
DeGeneres was caught at her old stomping grounds last Friday while visiting Casa Dorinda, an elite retirement community known as the luxury nursing home where Julia Child spent her final days among other famous people.
Dressed casually in a gray crew-neck sweater, blue jeans and sneakers, DeGeneres was seen pulling into a visitor’s parking lot before entering a residents’ building.
While it is unknown who the Hollywood star visited at the home, it is possible that her wife’s mother, Margaret Rogers, moved into the luxury retirement community after selling her Westlake Village townhome in 2020.
However, De Rossi, 51, was not seen with her wife during the outing.
Ellen DeGeneres was spotted back in her old California stomping grounds last Friday after reportedly leaving the United States for good
While it is unknown who the Hollywood star was visiting at the Casa Dorinda retirement community, Portia’s mother, Margaret Rogers, may have moved there after selling her home.
The couple moved to Britain late last year, but it’s clear they still have roots in the US and more specifically in Montecito.
They now reportedly live in the Cotswolds, a rural part of south-west England about 100 miles from London, in a multimillion-pound farmhouse.
They are said to have ‘fell in love’ with the picturesque estate in the rolling Cotswolds countryside, which also includes a helipad and swimming pool.
The two were apparently so eager to get away from it all and land their dream home that they were willing to pay £2.5 million (about $3 million) more than the asking price.
The area is popular with celebrities and wealthy residents looking to escape the hustle and bustle of London – an ideal hideaway for DeGeneres and Rossi who famously left LA for Montecito in Santa Barbara County, 75 miles north.
Among the stars with properties in the Cotswolds are David and Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, Patrick Stewart, Elizabeth Hurley, Jeremy Clarkson and Damien Hirst, among many others.
Dressed casually in a gray crew-neck sweater, blue jeans and sneakers, DeGeneres was seen pulling into a visitor’s parking lot before entering a residents’ building at Casa Dorinda.
Casa Dorinda is known as the luxury care home where Julia Child spent her last days among other famous people
The area is even home to royalty, as King Charles owns Highgrove House in Gloucestershire.
Kate Winslet also once had a country house in the area, although it is unclear whether she still lives there, and it has been rumored for years that Hugh Grant has a small hideaway in the Cotswolds.
DeGeneres and de Rossi’s new home was originally built as a farmhouse and was converted into a modern luxury home more than 15 years ago, but still retains its old-world charm, with the surrounding barns connected to the main house via glass corridors.
But a few weeks ago the couple were left virtually stranded when the area around their 43-acre estate was flooded following the impact of Storm Bert.
DeGeneres later shared a selfie on Instagram of her and her wife posing in the countryside to mark their 20th anniversary with her “best friend” and “love of my life,” and confirmed that they suffered no damage from the storm .
“PS for those of you, our British farm has NOT been flooded,” she wrote.
In an Instagram post in December, DeGeneres and de Rossi were seen posing in the English countryside to celebrate their 20th anniversary. The talk show host confirmed their new farm was not damaged by Storm Bert, which caused major flooding in Britain in November
The English countryside, including Oxfordshire, was hit by heavy flooding and rain, making roads in nearby Dunsden impassable (pictured)
DeGeneres and de Rossi reportedly listed their Bali-inspired mansion in Montecito, California, during their move to Britain. They purchased the house in 2019
In October, The Sun reported that the couple had bought a Cotswolds estate, so their purchase predates the 2024 election.
However, following Trump’s victory, the married couple became “very disillusioned,” with one source claiming they then vowed to “get the hell out of the US,” according to sources who spoke to TMZ.
While many celebrities have threatened to leave the US in light of a Trump victory, most have not done so.
Stars including Cher, Barbra Streisand, Sharon Stone and Sophie Turner have all said they would consider leaving the US if Trump wins, although it is not clear whether any of them will actually do so.
However, DeGeneres had plenty of reasons to want a fresh start away from home after Trump’s re-election.
Her career was tarnished – likely permanently – by allegations that she fostered a toxic workplace on the set of her eponymous daytime talk show, the final episode of which aired on May 26, 2022.
Ellen DeGeneres left the US for Britain to begin her ‘retirement’ with wife Portia de Rossi after her career was tarnished by allegations of toxic behavior on her talk show
While many celebrities threatened to leave the US in light of a Trump victory, most did not (Trump pictured on November 1 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
She delved into her persona non grata status in her stand-up special For Your Approval, which was released on Netflix in late September.
The comedian joked that she had been “kicked out of show business” in the special, which featured material about how she has been spending her time since her TV show ended.
According to The Wrap, DeGeneres and de Rossi had listed or plan to put their Bali-inspired Montecito mansion on the market soon.
DeGeneres and de Rossi purchased the massive home in 2019 for a whopping $27 million.
The mansion features five bedrooms and ten bathrooms, over 8,188 square feet, and includes exotic features such as bamboo ceilings, flamed black limestone, and beautiful distressed oak floors.