Ellen DeGeneres is once again “California Dreamin’,” at least for now. More than a year after leaving the United States for a quieter life in the English countryside, the former talk show host has returned to Southern California with the purchase of a jaw-dropping $27 million mansion in Montecito — the celebrity enclave she once called home.
According to sources speaking with Fox News Digital and People magazine, DeGeneres, 68, and her wife, Portia de Rossi, are treating the move as a seasonal stop rather than a permanent relocation. The couple reportedly wanted to spend the winter months back in Montecito, drawn by the familiar California weather and equestrian lifestyle they left behind when they moved to England.
“Ellen and Portia love the Cotswolds and can’t wait to return to England,” an insider shared, emphasizing that their return to California is temporary. Another source added that the couple has been missing Southern California’s sunshine and horse scene — particularly de Rossi, who is deeply involved in polo and horse riding.
The pair previously sold their longtime Montecito estate in August 2024 before buying a farmhouse in the English countryside. What began as a part-time European adventure eventually turned into something more permanent following Donald Trump’s victory in the November 2024 presidential election. DeGeneres herself confirmed the timing during her first U.K. broadcast appearance since the move.
“We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis,” DeGeneres recalled in an interview with Richard Bacon for the BBC. “And I was like, ‘He got in.’ And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’” The remark marked one of the rare moments where the famously apolitical comedian openly linked a life decision to U.S. politics.
Since settling in the Cotswolds, DeGeneres has largely kept a low profile, though she occasionally shares glimpses of farm life with fans. She has spoken warmly about the slower pace, praising the villages, architecture, and what she described as a “simpler way of life.” From chickens and sheep to snow — something she said she experienced for the first time — the transition has been a dramatic shift from Hollywood life.
Still, locals in the Cotswolds told People magazine they haven’t seen DeGeneres in months, fueling speculation that the couple has already begun splitting time between continents. “She always looked friendly, but nobody ever approached her,” one local said. “It was just another celeb to them.”
The political angle of DeGeneres’ move also drew commentary from fellow comedian Rosie O’Donnell, who expressed surprise that Trump’s win played a role. O’Donnell noted that while she has long been outspoken politically, DeGeneres had rarely been. Despite their distance, O’Donnell said she wished DeGeneres “peace and love.”
For now, DeGeneres appears content straddling two worlds — the rolling green hills of England and the sun-soaked luxury of Montecito — proving that even a self-imposed exile doesn’t always mean goodbye forever.