Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s post-royal life chapter in California has been something however odd. Since swapping the grandeur of Buckingham Palace for a sprawling Montecito mansion in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have carved out a brand new life within the celebrity-studded enclave. Nonetheless, since Donald Trump is about to be president once more, the royal couple’s American dream may hit an enormous snag subsequent yr.
Prince Harry and Markle beforehand stepped down as senior royals of their bid to develop into financially impartial from the Royal Household. They then shortly moved to Markle’s homeland and settled in a $14 million, nine-bedroom mansion in California. For the Duchess, the home is greater than only a luxurious escape — it’s a sanctuary. “We did every little thing we may to get this home. It’s therapeutic. You be happy,” she revealed in a 2022 interview with The Reduce.
But, even with their high-profile life in California, all is just not picture-perfect for the Sussexes. Critics, actual property issues, and whispers of a disconnect from their group seemingly paint a extra difficult image for the royal couple — one that might worsen in the event that they entertain the thought of leaving the U.S. as soon as Trump, who has admitted to contemplating deporting Prince Harry, returns to the White Home.
So what’s the potential snag? If Prince Harry and Markle had been to promote their Montecito mansion, the timing may spell monetary catastrophe. Actual property firm Redfin lately reported that Montecito residence costs are down 14.1% in comparison with final yr, with the median sale value for a house now at $5.5 million. That is far under the hefty value the couple paid to snag the property. Packing up and relocating may not be as simple because it sounds, particularly if a sale comes at a loss.
Nonetheless, there are indicators that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aren’t giving up on their American dream simply but. The couple has been elevating their youngsters, Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, in Montecito. Now that their eldest youngster is of age to attend college, they’ve determined to ship him to an area studying establishment, suggesting they’re unlikely to flee the U.S. anytime quickly.
However whereas Prince Harry’s household could also be having fun with their keep in California, their next-door neighbors have gripes about their lack of group involvement. Only in the near past, one neighbor named Richard Mineards slammed the Duchess, saying, “I personally don’t assume that Meghan is an asset to our group… She doesn’t actually exit or get entangled with the group.”
One other neighbor, 88-year-old Navy veteran Frank McGinity, echoed comparable frustrations in July 2023, when he shared a frosty encounter with the pair. When McGinity tried to welcome the couple with a CD showcasing their neighborhood’s historical past, he was disregarded at their gated entrance. “I used to be [just] making an attempt to be neighborly,” he lamented in his memoir Get Off Your Avenue.
Whereas the Sussexes have principally ghosted their closest neighbors, Markle has reportedly not hid her penchant for hanging out with Hollywood’s elites. Noticed mingling with A-listers like Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Oprah Winfrey, and Tyler Perry, the Duchess appears extra comfortable rubbing elbows with fellow celebrities than attending neighborhood occasions.
Locals are actually questioning if the couple is actually invested in turning into a part of Montecito’s quiet group or if their time there’s merely a stepping stone for Markle to revitalize her Hollywood profession. However ought to they depart their residence subsequent yr when Trump reclaims the presidency, they may lose cash on the property and face backlash for his or her ever-shifting priorities. Fleeing the U.S. beneath such circumstances wouldn’t solely elevate eyebrows however may additionally deepen their rift with each British and American publics.
