29 September 2023 , 11:22
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly spent time with one of his royal relatives on a 'mega secret' romantic escape.
After cheering on veterans who had taken part in Harry's Invictus Games in Germany, it is claimed the Sussexes then jetted to Portugal for a 'lightning' holiday before they headed back to their home in California.
And while they were there, it is believed they spent time with one of their few royal allies, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, who split their time between London and Portugal due to Jack's job. The two couples are believed to have met up in the village of Melides in the country's Alentejo region. Eugenie's husband Jack Brooksbank works in marketing and sales at a private resort near the village, which is 80 miles south of Lisbon.
Harry and Meghan at the Invictus Games earlier this month (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank (Samir Hussein/WireImage)CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club is a members-only luxury residential community owned by a company founded by George Clooney's friend Mike Meldman, the Hollywood star's partner along with Rande Gerber in tequila firm Casamigos. It was reported in May last year that Eugenie and her husband were splitting their time between Portugal and London after Jack started working for Mr Meldman. The 33-year-old royal and her property developer partner are believed to base themselves at CostaTerra for part of the year.
Over the years, Eugenie has been Harry's close friend and confidante. An insider close to Harry previously told People: "They're still the best of friends and talk constantly." They added that tensions between the Sussexes and the Firm had been "really stressful" for Eugenie and her older sister Princess Beatrice, and they find it "hard to watch" because they "see both sides".
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Harry and Meghan reportedly spent several days in Portugal before returning to the US (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Portuguese magazine, Nova Gente, claimed Harry and Meghan had travelled to Portugal without their children Archie, four, and Lilibet, two and described the trip as a 'mega-secret' operation they had preferred not to publicise. The magazine said: "After the Invictus Games finished, on Saturday, September 16, the couple headed to our country for a lightning trip.
"In a mega-secret 'operation', and with the reserve that has characterised them since they abdicated their royal duties in 2020, Meghan and Harry preferred not to publicise, either through the press or through their social networks, this 'romantic getaway'. They arrived in Portugal without their children and as soon as they landed, they headed to Alentejo and more precisely to Melides.
"The choice of this location would have been related to a possible invitation from Harry's cousin, Princess Eugenie who, since the start of last year has been spending a lot of time in this part of the Alentejo because of her husband's work."
The magazine claims Harry and Meghan stayed in Portugal until September 20 when they took a British Airways flight to London before picking up a connection back to the United States. A witness quoted by the magazine said they had boarded the flight in Portugal “smiling slightly” and described Meghan as looking “tired" with her hair tied up in a long ponytail and dressed “all in black.”
It added, quoting the airport witness: “Meghan wore a three-quarter length sleeve dress, flat shoes and discreet make-up. Harry opted for a T-shirt which was a colour between green and blue, jeans and trainers.”
Days after their return Harry and Meghan attended a star-studded event hosted by Kevin Costner near his lavish Santa Barbara estate last Friday on September 22. The couple were seen at the One805 Live!, where they joined pals Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey to raise money for a first responders charity. It was the pair's first public outing since they returned to the United States following the Invictus Games in Germany earlier this month.