California Dreamin': Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are choosing Montecito, California — these are their reasons

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle begin their new lives in Montecito. Why they 'never intended to stay in Los Angeles'

Last week, news broke that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were moving house. Admittedly, they had already done nothing but move for six months: from the UK to Canada, then from Canada to Los Angeles, where they lived in a Beverly Hills mansion owned by Tyler Perry. But this time it wasn't about moving to a new country or to a rented house: now it's supposed to be her permanent residence.

And where? At Santa Barbara. More precisely in Montecito, the hilly millionaire's enclave between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific. According to land registry information, the couple bought the 14,500 square foot home for $14.65 million. (They took out a $9.5 million mortgage on it.) In previous listings, the property has been described as idyllic: There's a tennis court, pool, guest house, rose gardens, cypress, and olive trees. The previous owner of the house was Russian investor Sergey Grishin.

From Vogue.com

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved into their family home in July this year," a spokesman previously confirmed. "They have settled into the quiet, private atmosphere of their community since their arrival and hope that the privacy of their neighbors, as well as that of their own family, will be respected."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle move into their new California home

Why Montecito? A person close to the couple told VOGUE: "Harry loves California, but they both relocated to the smaller city of Santa Barbara where they can better integrate into the community while enjoying some distance and privacy that is common in the Los Angeles area hard to get to. Because of this, they never intended to stay in Los Angeles". (Previous reports have indicated that the prince dislikes L.A., which was a valid reason for their move).

In Los Angeles, the family has struggled to escape the limelight — even during the pandemic. Paparazzi pictures of the two and their little son Archie kept appearing. The couple are currently suing a photographer who attempted to use a drone to take photos of the family - an incident they no doubt see as a gross invasion of their privacy.

And yet cameras seem to be following the couple's every step: Newsweek reported earlier this week that paparazzi were roaming the new neighborhood in search of the couple. But a source also told VOGUE that Harry and Meghan have settled in well in Montecito and are happy so far: "Both are really enjoying their carefree family time."

It's the first house that Harry and Meghan own

A not insignificant detail: This is the first house that the couple owns. (Frogmore Cottage was given to them by the Queen.) They have also not accepted a loan from Prince Charles or any other member of the family. For once they are only obliged to each other (and the bank, even the British royal family have to make their mortgage payments).

From Vogue.de

Of course, this new ownership is kind of the whole point. When the Duke and Duchess retired from the royal family, they did so with this statement: "We intend to step down as so-called 'senior members' of the royal family and become financially independent". They later revealed that it was about more than financial autonomy: "The Royal Family respects and understands the desire of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to live more independently as a family, effectively overriding the 'public interest' , which media has consistently used as a justification for invading privacy," reads a line on their official website.