EXCLUSIVE: Ellen DeGeneres' English Quagmire — 'Queen of Mean' and Wife Leave UK Neighbors Fuming After Disgraced Diva Finally Gets Building Permits
Ellen DeGeneres' UK neighbors are allegedly upset after permit approval for her property plans.
June 27 2026, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Neighbors-from-hell Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have finally been given the green light to build horse stables on their $29million Cotswolds property in the English countryside – despite objections raised by locals, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
But the entitled exiles, who've been accused of flouting local planning regulations since buying the property in 2024, must follow strict rules imposed by the West Oxfordshire District Council.
Neighbors Rebel Against Ellen's Plans
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi received approval to build horse stables on their Cotswolds property under strict council conditions.
Area residents cried foul when the former talk show host, 68, and her horse-loving wife, 53, wanted to build all-weather stables on the 43-acre property.
"Ellen has this attitude that the rules don't apply to her," said a source.
The site on their property where they wanted to build the horse facility was close to Roman ruins, including an ancient bridge, road and villa, which raised area conservationists' concerns.
Permission to proceed was finally granted with some exacting stipulations – it can't commence without an archaeologist on site and the stables may only be used by the property's occupants.
Feud With Neighbors Deepens
Conservation concerns were raised after DeGeneres and de Rossi proposed stables near Roman ruins on their estate.
Stable-gate was only the latest chapter in the feud between the privileged pair, who decamped to the U.K. after President Donald Trump's election, and locals, who cherish the area's storied history.
DeGeneres and Rossi have flipped more than 30 homes in the U.S., but as an insider pointed out, "it's a different ball of wax in the U.K. It's very complex, with strict planning laws and detailed applications."
Outraged neighbors ratted out the Finding Dory funny lady and the Arrested Development star to authorities when they said they failed to get permission to build an extension on the mansion last year.
Locals Hope Ellen Leaves
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Locals reportedly complained after DeGeneres and de Rossi were accused of failing to obtain permission for a property extension.
After all the conflicts in just a couple of years, "most folks here would like nothing more than to see them move out," an insider said.
"A lot of people in England can trace their family tree back over a thousand years and they don't take kindly to outsiders coming in and disturbing the peace."
They may get their wish. The duo, who are said to miss California's sunny weather, recently bought a home in Montecito and plan to split their time between the two locations.
