Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hit headlines when they opened up to their close friend and neighbor, Oprah Winfrey for an exclusive interview that continues to shake the British Royal Family. The couple have relocated to a beautiful mansion in Montecito, Santa Barbara since stepping back from official duties and making America their home. Click or scroll to take a look around their gorgeous house...
Harry and Meghan live in this stunning house which is only a six-minute drive from Oprah's Promised Land estate. In mid-June 2020, Meghan and Harry purchased their multimillion-dollar estate in Santa Barbara County for $14.7 million. Public documents reveal that the couple secured a $9.5 million mortgage for the private home.
The luxurious house was sold to them by Russian businessman Sergey Grishin, who bought the home in 2009 for $25.3 million. A stone's throw from the ocean, the laid-back neighborhood of Montecito is packed with A-listers, including Ellen DeGeneres, Kevin Costner and former Oprah guest, Tom Cruise. It is also just a two-hour drive from downtown Los Angeles and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland.
Built in 2003, the amazing American estate offers a grand total of nine bedrooms and 19 bathrooms. The country-style master suite features a wooden-beamed ceiling, an ensuite bathroom and access to a private balcony with an ivy-covered pergola.
Jam-packed with the most luxurious amenities, the home includes a library, gym, a sauna, home cinema, arcade, games room and an elevator. Boasting wood-paneled walls and a huge TV, the regal entertainment space is a great spot for the young family to relax together.
Ideal for keeping one-year-old Archie amused, the extensive property also has a tea house and a children's cottage, as well as this elaborate play area that sits within the mansion's beautifully manicured grounds.
The incredible backyard features a tiered rose garden, an alfresco terrace and a large swimming pool, flanked by picturesque olive trees and Italian cypress trees. A full-size tennis court and a detached guesthouse are also found across the estate, ideal for hosting family and friends.
Since formerly leaving their royal duties behind, California has been a safe haven for the young family. Last year, a spokesperson for the couple told The Independent: “They have settled into the quiet privacy of their community since their arrival and hope that this will be respected for their neighbors, as well as for them as a family.”
After a year and a half of dating, Meghan and Harry got engaged on 27 November 2017. They announced their engagement in the Sunken Garden in the landscaped grounds of Kensington Palace in London – a favorite spot of Princess Diana's. The pair had already been spending plenty of time at the palace estate, where Harry lived in Nottingham Cottage.
It was at Nottingham Cottage, previously the home of Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, where Harry popped the question. A refreshingly relaxed proposal, it happened while Harry was cooking a roast chicken during a cozy night in. The couple continued to live in Harry's quarters in Kensington Palace until they got married.
The couple gave a glimpse inside their home during their engagement interview, which was held in a living space inside the cottage. Sitting on a cream sofa, it's clear to see the calming neutral color scheme of the home, with a white paneled wall in the background and a lavish gold lamp.
On 19 May 2018, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were married in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, where they were given the titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The newly married couple had the ultimate royal wedding venue, with pictures taken in the beautiful Green Drawing Room and two receptions in St George's Hall and the Frogmore Estate.
Meghan and Harry decided to tie the knot at another famous British landmark – Windsor Castle. It's also a favorite weekend retreat of the Queen's and has been a significant place for the couple throughout their marriage.
The queen had an incredible wedding gift waiting for the royal couple on their wedding day. After gifting Prince William and Kate Middleton Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate, the Queen decided to bestow Frogmore Cottage upon Meghan and Harry, which would become their permanent home in the UK.
The historic Grade II-listed house on the Frogmore Estate, which is part of the Windsor Estate, became a royal residence in 1792 when Queen Charlotte employed an architect to transform it into a country retreat. Home to many royals over the centuries and later divided into five properties, it was converted back into a large family home for Meghan and Harry at a reported cost of $3 million in 2019, an amount the couple have since repaid. They moved into Frogmore Cottage in April 2019 and it remains their official UK residence today, although according to Hello! magazine Harry and Meghan have allowed Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank to move in with baby August Philip Hawke Brooksbank while they are in the States.
In late November 2019, the new family spent six weeks in Canada for an extended Christmas break following their tour of South Africa. They soaked up the beauty of Vancouver Island in this $14 million holiday home. The impressive waterfront mansion in North Saanich, owned by a mystery multimillionaire, is located in one of the most picturesque parts of the large isle.
The dream island home comprises an array of opulent bedrooms, with access to two beautiful beaches with stunning views across the peninsula. The main house sprawls across 11,416 square feet and includes five bedrooms and eight bathrooms, a smaller 2,349-square-foot guest house accommodates the other three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Step inside the main house and you’ll find a spacious two-story open living area, formal dining room, a wood-paneled office with a cozy fireplace and a chef’s kitchen with its own pizza oven. The property also includes a games room with a wet bar, a wine-tasting room and a media room.
The four-acre luxury gated property has its own stunning summer house and several acres of gorgeous gardens, so we can see why the couple chose this as their home for the holidays. To top it off, the amazing Canadian mansion overlooks the tranquil water below, making it the perfect scenic escape from the pair's busy lives in England.
Deciding not to head home for Christmas with the Queen and the rest of the royal family, the couple released this image of Harry and Archie spending time together on a stunning lakefront in Canada on their official Sussex Royal Instagram account. In January 2020, they announced they were stepping back as senior royals to become financially independent, revealing their plans to split their time between the UK and North America.
After their last official day as working royals on 31 March 2020, it was reported that the couple had relocated to Los Angeles. They decided to stay in a huge compound owned by actor and producer Tyler Perry, who they reportedly met through mutual friend Oprah. Tucked away in the Beverly Hills Post Office area of Los Angeles, the luxury mansion sits in the gated community of Beverly Ridge Estates.
In May, the notoriously private couple decided to put up privacy screens around the mansion, after realizing hikers could see into their home. The popular hiking route had reopened after Los Angeles' coronavirus restrictions were eased. Like many celebrities in lockdown, the couple's philanthropic projects had to take place online instead – Harry is pictured here in their rental home addressing a virtual global summit for his sustainable tourism project, Travalyst.
On Valentine's Day, the private couple announced that they were expecting their second child. The image captured by Meghan's longtime friend Misan Harriman shows the couple sat under a tree in Los Angeles. Having gone through some huge life changes including a relocation stateside, we can't wait to see what's next for Harry and Meghan and their growing family!
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