Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has urged Meghan Markle to embrace everyday Cotswolds life and follow Princess Kate’s relatable example.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the designer predicted Meghan’s popularity could rise if she relaxed into local routines. The Royal Beat host is a long-term Cotswolds resident.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Cotswolds move has placed the couple in British country life, which Laurence contrasted with California.
He believes Meghan can win local affection by showing a less polished, more informal side.
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen points Meghan Markle towards Princess Kate
Laurence described Prince William and Kate’s routine as unusually ordinary by royal standards.
He said: “William and Kate live a very ordinary lifestyle for royals.”
He pointed to taking their children to school, attending rugby fixtures and flute practice.
“I think this is the sort of life Harry wants. If Meghan can lean into that and relax a bit, enjoy it and let us appreciate her for who she actually is, rather than who she feels she ought to be, that’s one of the [important] things. The thing about Harry is he’s genuine. Sometimes too genuine. That’s why everyone absolutely loved him,” he said.
The television host also highlighted Kate’s manner during public conversations.
He said: “When Kate is talking to people, she’s actually really interested in what they are saying… She is not trying to make some sort of point.”
Laurence argued that focused attention makes Kate feel relatable during less frequent encounters. He said modern royal appeal depends more on warmth than the distance associated with earlier generations.
In his assessment, Meghan has not yet appeared as relatable as Kate or King Charles.
Meghan Markle encouraged to embrace muddy Cotswolds life
Laurence’s proposed route to popularity involved muddy clothes, takeaway queues and ordinary shopping trips.
He recalled seeing Harry queue for a tandoori near Highgrove and visit Waitrose on Sunday mornings. Those memories, he suggested, showed the easy banter that once made Harry widely liked.
His advice for Meghan was equally vivid.
He said: “We need to see muddy Meghan at the tandoori. Just by doing that, she’d seduce the nation.”
He also joked that white jeans might struggle against the area’s mud. Behind the humour sat a broader point.
Laurence encouraged both Sussexes to let their hair down and avoid making everything appear perfect. He characterised the Cotswolds as informal, despite its wealth and famous residents.
That, he argued, leaves little room for celebrity distance.
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen contrasts British and Californian fame
Laurence said Meghan had found Britain’s teasing attitude towards famous people difficult to understand.
He claimed local encounters tend to be friendly, irreverent and far from sycophantic. In his telling, fame does not remove someone from daily society.
He used Jeremy Clarkson at a chip shop and Nigella Lawson on a bus as playful examples.
His argument was that royal status brings recognition, but not complete separation from the public. He suggested Meghan could benefit by accepting that closeness and joining everyday routines.
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen sees a family pull for Harry
Laurence also framed the relocation as an emotional homecoming for Prince Harry.
He linked it to childhood memories, British schooling and stronger connections with the children’s family history. Laurence claimed the move was about giving the children a secure identity and British education.
He also mentioned spending more time with King Charles, while referring to the monarch’s cancer diagnosis.
Laurence then turned to familiar territory: interiors. He encouraged Meghan to embrace pattern and colour inside a Cotswolds home, rather than neutral perfection.
He said local houses often reflect the colour and pattern found across the surrounding countryside.
As Ever also entered his wish list. He expressed interest in Meghan’s wildflower sprinkles and suggested a possible collaboration with Daylesford’s Lady Bamford.
He even offered afternoon tea at his part of the Cotswolds.
Ultimately, his verdict was simple. A more relaxed local life could, in his view, help Meghan connect with neighbours and the wider public.
Read more: Meghan Markle shares first video of Harry and kids in UK as she gives glimpse into family life
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