Since stepping back from official duties, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made California their home, and have recently announced that they will never return to the UK. They have relocated to a beautiful mansion in Montecito, Santa Barbara where they are raising their two children, Lilibet and Archie, and continuing to promote the good causes that matter to them. As they are reportedly looking to move on, click or scroll on and let's take a look inside their amazing mega-mansion fit for an A-list family amid the terrible storms currently battering the region...
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 (£12.8m). Public documents reveal that the couple secured a $9.5 million (£8.3m) 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 (£22.1m). A stone's throw from the ocean, the laid-back neighbourhood of Montecito is packed with A-listers, including Ellen DeGeneres, Jennifer Aniston and Adam Levine. 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 a lift. Boasting wood-panelled walls and a huge TV, the regal entertainment space is a great spot for the young family to relax together.
Around her 40th birthday, Meghan gave us a peek into her home office. Alongside actress Melissa McCarthy, the Duchess of Sussex released a video announcing her new 40x40 initiative on the Archewell website. Filmed inside the couple's stunning Montecito mansion, Meghan sits in front of a cosy fireplace behind a large wooden desk. Conforming to the star's very neutral taste, the desk is decorated with a quartz crystal, a tea tray, and framed family photos which are just out of shot. There are luxury details aplenty with a Hermes throw and plush dog bed for Meghan's beagle, Guy.
It's not only Meghan who's given a glimpse into the couple's home life. In May of 2021, Prince Harry released a trailer for his series The Me You Can't See, which sees him filming his own therapy sessions and chatting with the couple's good friend, Oprah. Meghan appears briefly alongside her husband in a corner of their shared home office, which reveals only panelled walls, black-framed windows and part of the huge stone fireplace.
Ideal for keeping three-year-old Archie and one-year-old Lilibet 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. Following the death of the late Queen, both children, as great grandchildren of the monarch, can now be called Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, though there has reportedly been some controversy over the children's titles given their parents' departure from the royal family.
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 stepping down from their royal duties, the young family had found a little haven in California. 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 neighbours, as well as for them as a family.” But it appears the peace did not last for long...
Recently, the couple’s security has been a challenge, and in May 2022 police were alerted to two intruder scares at Harry and Meghan’s Montecito home during a 12-day period, The Sun reported. The couple and their two children were believed to be at home when the alarms were triggered. Police records show there have been six security alert calls to their US home in the past 14 months, with both May calls logged as “trespasser”, “property crimes” and “suspicious circumstances”. Recently, The Daily Mail has also reported that their current home "no longer accommodates them" and that they have outgrown it. Could this be why they are thinking of moving on?
Reportedly, the couple is now looking to move on from Montecito, with the neighbouring community of Hope Ranch being considered. There are even rumours, according to Santa Barbara News-Press, that they may have already purchased an estate in the exclusive Santa Barbara enclave not far from their current address. While the couple and their brood may have set their sights on the area, locals according to TMZ are not as keen. TMZ reports that sources connected to the Homeowners Association at Hope Ranch are concerned about the couple moving in due to the baggage and 'circus' that comes with them, with an influx of traffic being one of the main concerns for the villagers.
Viewers of the couple's recent Netflix documentary will be forgiven for thinking the swanky backdrop to the couple’s sit-down interview was their own Montecito house, but they'd be wrong... The interviews were actually filmed inside this magnificent mansion, which lies close to the couple's family home. It's currently for sale for a cool $33.5 million (£27.8m), that's three times the value of the $11 million (£9.1m) home the couple bought in 2020. Perhaps due to the property's scale and price tag, it's been on the market for some time. In fact, it was first listed in August 2021 for the same amount, showing that the current owners clearly aren't willing to compromise on price.
The home was built in 2006 and spans 13,599 square feet. Nestled on over two acres, every interior space benefits from unobstructed ocean and mountain views. As for interior design, the rooms boast gorgeous exposed beams, oversized arched doorways and European-inspired fireplaces. As well as luxe living spaces and formal hosting rooms, the interview home also features six bedrooms, six full bathrooms and a one-bedroom guest house.
The interior is chic and calming, thanks to neutral tones and a blend of modern and traditional elements. In fact, it isn't dissimilar to the stylish interiors at the couple’s Montecito home, which Meghan described as ‘healing’ when speaking to The Cut. But Harry and Meghan aren't the only VIPs to have spent time in the Montecito mansion. It's actually the former home of disgraced CEO, Mark Schulhof, who reportedly pocketed $116 million (£96.1m) from disabled veterans. The pair will need a sanctuary as they deal with the storm around the docuseries, and the Prince’s new memoir, Spare, which is expected to include bombshell revelations including a leaked alleged incident between William and Harry.
In most recent news, Montecito was placed under an evacuation order on Monday 9 January 2023 as a powerful storm battered the region, where in neighbouring San Luis Obispo County, a five-year-old boy was swept away by floodwater. A local fire protection district in Santa Barbara County called for the evacuation of Montecito's affluent seaside community which faces flooding and mudslides in the latest of a series of storms to hit the area, which is also home to Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Aniston and Ellen DeGeneres. In a video Ellen tweeted on Monday, she said she was only required to shelter in place because she is based on higher ground. The video showed floodwaters pouring down a creek that she says usually never flows.
As reported by the New York Post, the evacuation order in Montecito comes five years after a mudslide killed 23 people and destroyed more than 100 homes in the wealthy community. The Montecito fire district said the order was in place “due to threats of life safety caused by the ongoing storm.” The National Weather Service estimated at least eight inches of rain have fallen so far with several more expected as the area faces heavy downpours. President Joe Biden declared an emergency in California, following the flooding, mudslides and power outages after heavy rains and high winds caused by the recent “bomb cyclone”. A legitimate scientific term, it is so named because the rapid formation of the storm is literally like a bomb going off. The region's residents brace themselves as it faces more storms in the coming days....
Named by Time Magazine as among the world's 100 most influential people, the couple took part in a photoshoot for the cover, which is the first time they have formally posed together for a magazine since stepping down from royal duties. Released to coincide with Harry's 37th birthday, in this shot the couple can be seen strolling through a forest near their Montecito home.
The couple have come a long way since their engagement in November 2017, which was announced in the Sunken Garden in the grounds of Kensington Palace in London—a favourite spot of Princess Diana's. The pair had already been spending plenty of time at the palace estate, where Harry lived in Nottingham Cottage. Previously the home of Prince William and Kate, it was here that Harry popped the question while cooking a roast chicken during a cosy night in. The couple continued to live in Harry's quarters in Kensington Palace until they got married.
One of the smaller residences within the grounds of Kensington Palace, Nottingham Cottage is certainly not a bad crash pad in the capital. Insiders describe it as a perfect starter home for a couple, with two bedrooms, two reception rooms, a bathroom and a small garden.
The couple gave the public 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 colour scheme of the home, with a white-panelled 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.
The late Queen had an incredible wedding present 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 give Frogmore Cottage to Meghan and Harry, along with some artwork for its interiors.
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 $2.7 million (£2.4m) in 2019, an amount the couple have since repaid. They moved into Frogmore Cottage in April 2019 and it reportedly remains their official UK residence today, although, according to Hello! magazine, Harry and Meghan allowed Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank to move in with baby August Philip Hawke Brooksbank for a period while they are in the States.
A stone's throw away from Frogmore Cottage, Windsor Castle was where the couple introduced their newborn son to the world's media for the first time. Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born on 6 May, 2019, and was shown off to the world's media just two days later in St George's Hall, the location of Meghan and Harry's wedding reception.
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 (£12.2m) 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-storey open living area, formal dining room, a wood-panelled office with a cosy 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 as working royals.
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 31st 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.
The house was the perfect place to stay with Archie while they hunted for a more permanent home, and Meghan can be seen here reading him a story in one of the many gorgeous living areas. Just a few months later, they found their current house where they have been raising Archie and Lilibet.
On Valentine's Day, the private couple announced that they were expecting their second child, and on Friday 4 June, 2021, their baby daughter Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California, weighing 7 lbs 11 oz.
The couple caused uproar when they granted a tell-all interview to Montecito neighbour Oprah at her home in March 2021 in which they laid bare their rift with the royal family, and still more with the release of their six episode Netflix documentary released in the fall of 2022. They have since returned to Britain both for the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee and, sadly, for her funeral in September 2022. Now the world is watching and wondering if the Queen's death will bring about a reconciliation between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the royal family.
There was much speculation surrounding the couple’s return to Britain for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The pair kept a low profile but attended the service of thanksgiving for the 70-year reign of Queen Elizabeth II at St Paul's Cathedral. It was hoped their problem-free visit would pave the way for more understanding between the Prince and his family in the future.
Privacy and security have long been issues for the couple, with The Express reporting that Harry has won a bid to bring a High Court challenge against the Home Office, concerning his UK security arrangements. The legal action is over a decision not to allow him to pay for police protection for himself and his family when visiting from North America after he stepped back from royal duties in 2020.
The Prince raises his security concerns in the Netflix docuseries, where he claims he and Meghan were victims of “institutional gaslighting”, suggesting ‘people’ were happy to protect his brother but not him. Meghan adds, “Our security was being pulled, everyone in the world knew where we were,” although former private secretary to the late Queen, Dickie Arbiter, told The Mirror, their security was taken away because they were moving to America.
On 8 December 2022, the highly anticipated Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan was finally released, giving the couple the chance to tell 'their' version of their story. The six-episode series goes behind the scenes with the royal pair, featuring intimate family footage, clips from Harry and Meghan's personal video diaries, and interviews with the couple in their Montecito home.
While the couple had high hopes for the series' effect on their public image, the documentary has been met with a highly mixed reception, some hailing it as an honest and heartbreaking revelation, while others have critised it as a self-serving attempt to gain publicity. While Harry and Meghan certainly discuss their own difficulties and reasons for leaving the royal family, the exposing series somewhat negates their claims that they want privacy for their family.
By the same token, the series does give viewers an intimate glance into the home and private lives of these renegade royals, featuring beautiful shots of the young family enjoying life in their Montecito mansion. Whether viewers empathise with Harry and Meghan's bid for freedom or are disappointed by their publicity-seeking choices, most must agree that the southern California retreat is a gorgeous escape.
Many had hoped that the Queen’s passing might have been a moment for reconciliation between Harry and Meghan and the Royal Family. The couple were already in the UK for the Wellchild awards when news of the death of the Queen was announced on 8 September, 2022. The new Prince of Wales appeared to hold out an olive branch when he invited his brother and Meghan to join him and Kate for a walkabout in Windsor two days later
The Prince of Wales extended the gesture at the committal service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, when he invited his brother and Meghan to sit alongside him and his family. Yet, no further rapprochement was thought to have taken place. The couple returned to California almost immediately after the funeral, to be reunited with their two small children, who they had not seen for over two weeks.
Meanwhile, thoughts are now on King Charles’s coronation on 6 May 2023. Some political heavyweights, according to the Daily Express, feel the couple should not be invited following the TV series and Harry’s forthcoming memoir. “If they dislike the Royal Family so much, why would they attend?” said ex-Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith. Most recently, speaking on Good Morning America, Harry claimed he will never move back to the UK. And in a separate interview with the CBS network, the duke swerved a question by Anderson Cooper who asked him why he and Meghan have not just renounced their titles as Duke and Duchess of Sussex. With diminishing hope of a reconciliation between the families, Harry and Meghan are more committed than ever to their long-term future in America. We will all be watching with interest...
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