It wasn't exactly a quiet exit. When news broke that Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi had packed their bags for the English countryside, the internet basically melted down. Why would one of the most famous women in America—someone who basically owned the Montecito real estate market—suddenly decide to live in a place where it rains approximately 300 days a year?
The short answer: Politics. The long answer? Well, that's a bit more tangled up in career burnout, public image hits, and a very specific election result.
Why Did Ellen Leave the US? The Trump Factor
Honestly, it wasn't a mystery for long. In July 2025, during an appearance at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, England, Ellen didn't hold back. She confirmed what everyone had been whispering about for months. The re-election of Donald Trump was the final straw.
She told the crowd that she and Portia actually arrived in the UK the day before the election in November 2024. They woke up to a flurry of "crying face" emojis from friends back home. Once the results were in, the decision was instant. "We're staying here," they decided.
It's a huge move. You've got to remember that Ellen has spent decades as a staple of American culture. But the political climate, specifically the potential for legislative shifts regarding same-sex marriage, reportedly spooked the couple. They even mentioned they’d consider getting married again in England if the US started rolling back rights.
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A Fresh Start After the "Mean" Label
We can't talk about why did ellen leave the us without mentioning the elephant in the room: the toxic workplace scandal.
Remember 2020? The "Be Kind" brand took a massive hit when former staffers spoke out about the culture behind the scenes of her talk show. While she apologized and the show eventually ended in 2022, the "mean" label stuck to her like glue. In her 2024 Netflix special, For Your Approval, she joked about being "kicked out of show business."
But behind the jokes, it was clearly exhausting.
Moving to the Cotswolds offered a chance to be someone else—or at least to be somewhere where people aren't constantly dissecting your every move based on a four-year-old headline. In England, she’s just another wealthy expat with some chickens and a lot of land.
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Life in the Cotswolds: Not All Rainbows
Life across the pond started out like a dream. Ellen gushed about the "charming" architecture and the "polite" people. They bought a massive $18 million farmhouse. Portia flew her horses over. They had sheep for a few weeks (though that didn't last long).
But then, reality set in.
- The Weather: Let’s be real. Moving from sunny Montecito to rural England in November is a bold choice. The rain and freezing cold started to wear on them.
- The Isolation: Reports suggest the couple found the rural lifestyle a bit... boring. Their celebrity friends weren't exactly hopping on 11-hour flights every weekend to visit them in a muddy field.
- Neighbor Drama: Even in England, you can't escape drama. They reportedly had some friction with neighbors over renovations and extensions they wanted to build.
Is the Move Permanent?
This is where things get interesting. Despite the "never coming back" talk in late 2024, the rumor mill is spinning fast in 2026.
In late 2025, reports surfaced that the couple was already looking to return to the States. Why? Apparently, the quiet life was too quiet. Portia was said to be restless, and Ellen was spending most of her time on Zoom calls instead of enjoying the "simpler way of life" she praised so much at first.
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The biggest clue? In November 2025, Ellen reportedly dropped $27.4 million on a new mansion in Montecito. You don't usually buy a thirty-million-dollar house in a town you've permanently abandoned.
What We Can Learn From the Ellen Exodus
Whether she stays in the UK or makes a full-time return to California, the whole saga tells us a lot about the current state of celebrity and politics.
- The "Vibe Shift" is real. When the political or social energy of a country doesn't match your values, even the wealthiest people feel the urge to bolt.
- Geographic cures don't always work. You can move 5,000 miles away, but you’re still the same person with the same history.
- Real estate is the ultimate tell. Watch where the money goes. If a celeb buys a house in their old neighborhood, the "permanent" move was probably just a very expensive vacation.
If you’re following the story, keep an eye on the Montecito property listings. That’s where the real truth usually hides. For now, it looks like Ellen is keeping one foot in the English mud and one foot in the California sun.
Actionable Insights for Following Celebrity News
- Check Property Records: Celebrity "permanent" moves are often contradicted by their real estate acquisitions.
- Verify "Anonymous Sources": In Ellen's case, the initial move was confirmed by her own words on stage, which is much more reliable than tabloid hearsay.
- Look at the Timeline: Note how the move coincided exactly with both a career low point and a major political shift. Context is everything.
The saga of why Ellen left the US is a mix of political protest and a desperate need for a reset. It’s a reminder that no matter how much money you have, sometimes you just want to go somewhere where nobody knows your name—or at least where they don't bring up your 2020 HR reports.