Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been criticised by some locals in their California neighbourhood, who have claimed that the couple’s move to the area changed the once-quiet area and gave it a completely different vibe.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex bought their mansion in Montecito in Santa Barbara County back in 2020, after announcing they would step down from official royal duties. They purchased the mansion for $14.65million (£12million) at the time and since then, the property’s value has increased astronomically in the nearly five years.
The property is now reportedly valued at $29million (£23.5 million) – around double what they are said to have paid for it. Several celebrities including Oprah, Leonardo DiCaprio and Gwyneth Paltrow live in Montecito, which according to a local was once a quiet area whose main characteristic was its neighbourliness.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘disturbing’ nightmare as expert pleads ‘move on’
The couple’s mansion in Montecito, Santa Barbara
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Sotheby’s International Realty)
But since Harry and Meghan moved to the area, things changed, according to local people who see the Sussexes as the local villains, Vanity Fair reported. Some of the most common complaints are the increase in housing prices and people visiting from out of town, driving too fast and taking up all the street parking located near local trails, such as the one Meghan was photographed hiking on while Harry travelled to the UK for his father’s Coronation in May 2023.
According to a Montecitan who spoke to VF, since the pair moved to the area, locals can no longer just walk into restaurants for dinner as the area has become more popular. The resident admitted that while he and his friends have not met the couple, they were spotted in Ellen DeGeneres’ and Portia de Rossi’s wow renewal – and Harry was photographed playing polo at a field nearby.
The unnamed local said Meghan’s brand, American Riviera Orchard, which is also located in Montecito, as well as other projects by the couple, show “a kind of hucksterism” and prove that the former Suits actress is “just finding every way she can to monetise something.” By doing so, the Sussexes are bringing more attention to the area, despite previously saying they wanted to be a more quiet life, away from the scrutiny of the press.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their visit to Colombia in August 2024
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Archewell Foundation via Getty Images)
The Sussexes have been criticised by some locals for the increase in house prices and the higher number of visitors to their local area
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Getty Images for Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum)
Elaine Lui, the celebrity commentator behind Lainey Gossip, told VF: “I still think they’re the most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet. They moved away from England to get away from the scrutiny of the press, and all they do is try and get in the press in the United States.”
The reporter said the most common criticism she hears about Harry and Meghan is that “you can’t cherry-pick the good parts and leave out the bad parts” of famous, however she pointed out that “all celebrities do this. Don’t take photos of me. Oh, but here, let me step out, conveniently, and get papped. Only give me good reviews of my movie or my album. And if you don’t like my music, I’m gonna post on Instagram that you’re so shitty as a reviewer.'”
Harry and Meghan shared some insight into their property and their favourite pastimes in their 2022 Netflix series. At some point, she filmed Harry and their son Archie together in the garden. In the shot, the pair could be seen standing in front of a bird feeder as Hummingbirds began to land, with Harry remaining very still as he filmed them flying around in front of him.
Meghan could then be heard suppressing her giggles and saying: “Papa is a bird watcher so this is a really big moment for him.” And it seems the Duke also has a regular day-to-day routine. “Normally when you see him around here, he’s walking his Labrador on the beach or on his bicycle followed by his security in a Range Rover,” a neighbour of the couple previously told The Telegraph, noting that Harry “marvels at the local birds” and tends to his chickens.
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