The latest property acquisition in Portugal by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is facing backlash from local residents, who see it as a symbol of the decreasing public access to their much-loved coastline.
The multi-million dollar purchase of a property in the exclusive CostaTerra Golf and Ocean Club by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has heightened existing tensions between the affluent newcomers and the residents who have lived there for years.
Changes in Portuguese law, which once forbade limitations on public beach access, now permit certain areas to be declared private. This has sparked an outcry among the local community.
Bradley McGuiness, a Melides resident, labeled the situation as a significant blow to the Portuguese coast, chastising the development for taking land and property from longstanding locals. Another local resident expressed their displeasure over the opulent new development, disappointed that a significant portion of Portuguese land has been allocated for the affluent, displacing average inhabitants who have cherished memories of the area spanning generations.
Diana Queiroz, a local resident, shared that she had been frequenting the area for years and even camped there numerous times, but the development has made this impossible.
The 722-acre beachfront development, offering properties starting from $4.7 million, signifies a considerable change in local land usage. Certain beaches have been declared private by local councils, resulting in public access being denied to parts of the coastline that had been freely accessible to locals for many years.
The Discovery Land Company, established by multimillionaire Mike Meldman, plans to build 300 luxury homes on the site. The project has been described as a “typical greed situation” by residents.
Disapproval for the affluent development has also been voiced by the local business community. A local seafood restaurant owner stated, “The rich from the resorts don’t eat with the poor,” pointing out the widening social gap.
A local real estate agent downplayed the royal couple’s influence in the area, stating that there are “much richer and much more famous people buying here” and that the Sussexes’ presence would have “zero impact” on the community.
The property purchase in Portugal by the Sussexes follows their 2023 eviction by King Charles from Frogmore Cottage in Windsor. Their new property is in proximity to a house owned by Harry’s cousin, Princess Eugenie, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, who is employed in marketing and sales for the development company.
Experts in the industry suggest the purchase could assist the couple in obtaining a “Golden Visa,” which offers visa-free access to the European Union’s Schengen area. The property addition expands their real estate holdings, which includes their primary residence worth $19.5 million in Montecito, California.