DeGeneres explained that she and her spouse made the decision to purchase a second home because it offered more space for de Rossi’s horses, which the couple had flown over to the U.K.
“When we decided to live here full time, we knew that Portia couldn’t live without her horses,” she said. “We needed a home that had a horse facility and pastures for them.”
The dwelling is known as Kitesbridge Farm located in the Cotswolds, which has long been home to some of the country’s most celebrated stars.
DeGeneres fell in love with the home—reportedly paying around $3.3 million over the asking price to secure the dwelling.
Yet those renovations ran into several hurdles—with reports surfacing that she had run into resistance from residents in the area over her plans for the dwelling.
In February, DeGeneres and de Rossi were facing objections from neighbors over their proposed development of the abode, with three local councilors raising concerns that an extension might “increase flood risk in the village” and “disturb Roman remains.”
Despite the protests, a spokesperson for West Oxfordshire Direct Council insisted at the time that the Roman remains sit over 200 yards from DeGeneres and de Rossi’s property and that the work was “completed to a high standard.”
“The works at the property involved a single-story extension and garden landscaping,” the spokesperson said. “Although the extension technically breached permitted development rights, it was considered acceptable in planning terms.
“As the works were completed to a high standard with no impact on surrounding amenities or other planning concerns, no further enforcement action was necessary, and the case has been closed.
“Regarding concerns about Roman remains on Akeman Street, the site is more than 200 meters away from the Roman road, and no interference was identified.”
It was later reported that the couple had suffered from a number of problems at the dwelling, including flooding.
DeGeneres denied reports of floods at the time.
The listing agent did, however, note that extensive work was carried out on the dwelling before the couple moved in, describing its original state as “quite tired, with a quite basic finish.”
DeGeneres and de Rossi were originally given an 18-month timeline, so they brought in “about 70 workers” who were able to finish the work in about 10 weeks.
Yet DeGeneres and de Rossi would end up spending just a matter of weeks living in the completed dwelling before moving on to a new ultramodern home that is located about 30 minutes away.
Their second home, which DeGeneres has already started showing off on social media, is perched atop a hillside in Oxfordshire—making it much less prone to flooding—and features walls made entirely of glass.
The dwelling boasts five bedrooms and a Japanese-style courtyard at its center. The immaculately landscaped yard leads down to rolling fields where de Rossi’s horses can graze and run.
Its incredibly modern design is in stark contrast to the traditional farmhouse that is now on the market. That dwelling dates to the 1700s and offers six bedrooms, as well as a party barn with its very own pub—ideal for anyone with a passion for entertaining who wishes to host friends away from prying eyes.
The farmhouse also boasts a pool and a gym, both of which are located in another building on the property.
DeGeneres opened up to British broadcaster Richard Bacon about the reasons behind her move to the U.K.
During that chat, she confirmed for the first time that she and de Rossi had made the decision to relocate to England full time after President Donald Trump won the election, explaining that they had initially been planning to use their British dwelling for only a few months out of the year.
“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,'” she explained. “And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’
