Portuguese locals are outraged over a luxurious new vacation compound where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are rumored to have purchased a beachfront property. The Sussexes are reported to have invested in one of the 300 residences soon to be constructed at the 722-acre CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club, a lavish development near the small town of Melides, approximately 81 miles south of Lisbon. According to The Mirror, properties within the compound start at a staggering $4.7 million (£3.6 million).

Until recently, Portuguese law prohibited restricting access to public beaches, but now certain stretches of sand are deemed “private,” as reported by the Daily Record. This change has sparked fury among locals. Melides resident Bradley McGuiness described the situation as “the worst thing to happen to the Portuguese coast” and a “typical greed situation.” He lamented the loss of land and property from locals who have enjoyed it for years.

Another local expressed deep disappointment, stating: “I am very upset by this massive piece of Portuguese land destroyed for the rich, removed from the average local that had been creating memories in this place for generations and generations.” Resident Diana Queiroz added: “I have been going to this place for years, camped there several times and, because of this company, this is no longer possible.”

CostaTerra is part of Discovery Land Company, founded by Mike Meldman, who, along with George Clooney, invested in the billion-dollar tequila company, Casamigos. Meghan and Harry also have a personal connection to the company: Jack Brooksbank, the husband of Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie, works for Discovery Land Company in their marketing and sales department. Brooksbank and Eugenie already split their time between London and Portugal with their two sons, three-year-old August, and sixteen-month-old Ernest.

The Mirror reports that the Discovery Land Company has been developing the CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club since 2019. The website describes the golf and ocean club as “the ideal luxury getaway for families seeking an authentic lifestyle-focused coastal residential community.” Additionally, it’s been suggested that the purchase of a Portuguese vacation home may enable Harry and Meghan to obtain a “Golden Visa,” granting them “visa-free access to the European Union’s Schengen area.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not had a residence in the UK since 2023, when they were asked to officially “vacate” Frogmore Cottage, their UK home on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The couple had initially moved into the cottage after their wedding in 2018.

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