The information about a possible return of Harry (41) and Meghan (45) to the United Kingdom apparently arouses above all a feeling of relief in Montecito. In this upscale Californian town, the couple has lived since 2020 with their children, Prince Archie (7 years old) and Princess Lilibet (5 years old). Several residents spoke anonymously to “Page Six”.
“When we first heard that Harry and Meghan were moving to Montecito, there were definitely some concerns,” one resident tells the gossip portal. There was already so much negative press surrounding the couple and the royal family. “I think people were concerned that it would shine a negative spotlight on such a quiet community.”
“A very private and peaceful place”
This resident “couldn’t be happier” about their departure, he added. Montecito is “a very private and peaceful place, and I think many here will be happy when it gets a little quieter again.” However, he can only speak for himself and the neighbors he spoke with, not for the entire locality.
Celebrity is common in Montecito, Oprah Winfrey resides there, Rob Lowe also. But the media interest that Harry and Meghan brought was on a whole different scale.
Endless drama
Another resident expressed himself even more sharply: “Good riddance!” Many people would criticize the Sussexes for demanding ostentatious favors from friends and acquaintances, based on their titles, without ever giving anything in return, either to the people involved or to “the true community of Montecito.” “The city has had enough of them, their pretension and the endless ‘drama,’” the source continues.
Highly coveted property
It remains to be seen what will happen to the property. According to information from “Page Six,” the couple wants to keep the house, which they purchased in 2020 for around $14.7 million, for the time being. A second source in the luxury real estate community in Santa Barbara, however, reported sales rumors to the “New York Post”: “Every real estate agent wants this item.”
