Netflix Star’s Father Delivers Cutting Verdict as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Become His New Cotswolds Neighbours

Jack Whitehall’s dad has given a two-word verdict on Harry and Meghan’s return (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s reported move to the Cotswolds has already sparked a reaction from one of their famous new neighbours — and he made little effort to hide his feelings about having the Sussexes nearby.

Michael Whitehall, the 86-year-old father of comedian Jack Whitehall and a familiar face from Netflix’s Travels with My Father, discussed the couple’s arrival while appearing on The Wittering Whitehalls podcast with his wife, Hilary.

Michael and Hilary live in the Cotswolds, where Harry and Meghan are reportedly establishing a UK base following their return to Britain.

Michael Whitehall Gives His Verdict

Michael Whitehall gave his opinion on Harry and Meghan (Image: YouTube/@witteringwhitehalls)

Hilary raised the subject by joking that there were now some high-profile new residents in their part of the country.

When she suggested Michael probably would not be particularly excited to encounter Harry and Meghan during a shopping trip, he admitted that was likely true.

But his strongest reaction came when he explained that he had reached the point where he no longer considered the Sussexes worth getting angry about.

“They’re kind of, for me now, beyond ranting about,” Michael said, before describing them as “non-people really” and adding that they were no longer worth him becoming upset over.

Hilary then revealed that his initial reaction to news of their return had apparently been considerably stronger.

She joked that she was disappointed listeners had missed the “nuclear rant” Michael delivered when he first heard Harry and Meghan were coming back, saying he had since significantly toned down his response.

A Very Different Reaction to Princess Catherine

Michael’s feelings toward another senior royal were markedly different.

While discussing the Royal Family, he praised Princess Catherine, describing himself as a “big fan” of the Princess of Wales and calling her “amazing.”

The comments are particularly notable because Michael’s son Jack was previously reported to have been friendly with Prince Harry.

Why the Sussexes May Have Chosen the Cotswolds

Prince Harry has returned to the UK six years after leaving for the USA in 2020 (Image: Getty)

Harry and Meghan’s reported choice of the Cotswolds as their British base has generated speculation since their return to the UK, six years after relocating to the United States in 2020.

Royal commentator Simon Vigar has suggested several practical and personal reasons could have influenced the decision.

Harry spent significant periods of his childhood in the Cotswolds while staying with his father and reportedly still has friends in the region. Its location also offers access to several airports without requiring the family to travel through central London.

Royal author Robert Jobson has similarly suggested the area gives the Sussexes access to an established network of family, friends and wealthy acquaintances around places such as Daylesford and Soho Farmhouse.

For Michael Whitehall, however, the arrival of two globally famous neighbours has apparently inspired considerably less excitement — even if, according to his wife, the version he shared publicly was much calmer than his reaction when he first heard the news.