American TV icon Ellen DeGeneres has shed light on her decision to relocate from the U.S. to the United Kingdom.
Speaking during a live chat with Richard Bacon at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham—close to her new residence in the Cotswolds—Ellen explained that she and her wife, Portia de Rossi, originally planned to live in the UK for just a few months each year. However, their plans changed following Donald Trump’s victory in the November 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Reflecting on the moment, Ellen said they had arrived in the UK a day before the election and woke up to messages filled with crying emojis from friends—confirming Trump had won.
“We arrived the day before the election, woke up to crying emojis from friends and I knew he won,” she recalled.
In addition, Ellen expressed deep concern over growing threats to LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S., especially the push to roll back same-sex marriage protections—another reason that influenced their decision to stay in the UK permanently.