Months after fleeing the United States in the aftermath of Donald Trump's presidential victory, Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have quietly returned to American shores and purchased a sprawling $27.4 million mansion in Montecito, California.
The power couple's dramatic reversal marks an unexpected end to what was intended to be a permanent escape from the political upheaval that had prompted their hasty departure.
The pair crossed back over the pond after a brief but meaningful sojourn in the English countryside.
The property records reveal they secured the lavish 8,700-square-foot estate in November 2025, though the transaction remained hidden from public view because the property never officially hit the market.
According to North Hillcrest on Patreon, the former talk show host and her spouse purchased the home from Hollywood producer Brian Grazer, who had acquired the three-acre parcel in 2012 for just $7.6 million.
Ellen's Dramatic Retreat: Why She Left America After Trump's Victory
When news broke that the couple had relocated to England following Trump's 2024 election win, it sent shockwaves through Hollywood's celebrity circles.
DeGeneres herself confirmed the connection between the political result and their decision to leave, stating unequivocally, 'Yes,' when asked whether Trump's victory played a role in their relocation. She explained the timeline with candid vulnerability: 'We got here the day before the election, 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.'
The shift marked a significant moment for DeGeneres, who had built her career in California and maintained deep roots in the American entertainment industry for decades.
The couple's swift decision to uproot and establish themselves overseas reflected the intensity of their political concerns and their personal anxieties about the country's direction.
From Countryside Dreams to California Sunshine: Why They Returned
Despite their initial commitment to building a new life abroad, DeGeneres and de Rossi discovered that their English idyll fell short of their long-term needs.
The couple had settled in the Gloucestershire countryside, where they embraced an entirely different way of living—one that included farm animals, quiet village life, and what DeGeneres described as 'a simpler way of life.' She fondly recalled seeing snow for the first time in her life and spoke glowingly of their pastoral experience: 'We love it here. Portia flew her horses here, and I have chickens, and we had sheep for about two weeks.'
Yet the British winters proved unforgiving, and the distance from their social circle and professional opportunities began to weigh heavily. An insider revealed the couple's growing homesickness late last year, sharing that DeGeneres had been telling friends 'they miss them and can't take the winters over there, and Portia wants to act again.' The source added, 'Ellen was very clear that they're coming back to California sooner rather than later. They miss the warm weather and their friends.'
The actress and producer had begun feeling the pull of the American entertainment industry and the California lifestyle they'd left behind.
The newly acquired Montecito mansion features all the luxury amenities one would expect from a high-net-worth couple: a tennis court, four-car garage, and extensive gardens spanning the three-acre grounds.
The property represents not simply a real estate purchase but a symbolic return to the life they'd temporarily abandoned. Their journey from sudden exodus to measured homecoming illustrates how political anxieties, though deeply felt, can become secondary to the practical realities of family, career, and climate when distance provides perspective.
