Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are reportedly being dubbed the local thugs by their neighbors in the upscale California town where they ditched their royal roles and fled.
One Montecito resident has never met the couple, but heard their story. vanity faircalled the duo princes and “starlets.”
Neighbors in the sleepy Santa Barbara neighborhood blame Markle and Prince Harry for many of the new nuisances, including soaring home prices and a busy downtown area.
Anonymous residents told the magazine that the area has seen much more tourist traffic since Markle and Prince Harry arrived in 2020. Vanity Fair also reported that several people they spoke to suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had become a local bad name.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been dubbed local villains in the Montecito area, according to Vanity Fair. (Fox News Digital)
“You know, the thing about it is [Meghan and Harry] It's great that they didn't come here to make a living from our community. They came here to be part of our community. ”
Markle's latest business venture, American Riviera Orchard, is also located in Montecito, Vanity Fair reported. According to the newspaper, a book published by the Southern Pacific Company railroad in 1898 states that “Montecito is known as the American Riviera.” However, that honor reportedly now belongs to Santa Barbara.
“It's a kind of charlatanism,” one resident told Vanity Fair. “It’s just finding every way she can to monetize something.
“I still think they are the most entitled and dishonest people on the planet,” the resident added. “They are simply trying to escape the scrutiny of the press by leaving the UK and joining the press in the US.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to a representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren't the only celebrities living in Montecito. (Chris Jackson)
Meanwhile, the couple's arrival has been praised by their celebrity neighbour, Sharon Stone.
“You know, the great thing about them is they didn't come here to live apart from our community. They came here to be part of our community. ” she said. access hollywood In 2020.
“A friend said she was sitting in her car, and they rode their bikes across the street and waved at her as she sat at a red light,” she recalled. “They're part of our community. They've become a contributing, caring, involved part of our community.”. They said, 'Would you like to kiss my ass? 'I'm not here to tell you.'
Montecito is home to many famous people, including Natalie Portman, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Adam Levine, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Keaton, and Oprah.
The gate of Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's mansion in Montecito. (Getty Images)
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Despite moving to the US five years ago after stepping down from his senior role in the royal family, Prince Harry is said to have no social life outside of his nuclear family.
”[Meghan] “Prince Harry has been candid about the fact that he doesn't have many friends yet,” a source who has worked with Markle told Vanity Fair.
Markle and Prince Harry got into work a few months after setting up their Montecito home in 2020, landing them a shock Netflix deal. They first released a documentary series. “Harry and Meghan” The show had the highest daily viewership of any Netflix series since monitoring began in October 2022. A year later, he produced a sequel, the documentary series “Heart of Invictus” in 2023, followed by “Polo” in 2024.
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan moved to California in 2020. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Invictus Games Foundation)
However, multiple sources say that Markle and Prince Harry had “really great ideas” for the show, but it never materialized.
“I think Prince Harry doesn't know what he wants because he grew up in a fishbowl, so he doesn't understand what real life is about,” she said in a media project with the couple. A person involved in the project told Vanity Fair. “I think he probably just wants to be alone and be able to go and kiss a baby every once in a while, but not have to worry about money. I don't think he wants to be famous. I don't think he wants to be as famous as he is.”
Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in 2021 at Winfrey's friend's home in Santa Barbara County, California. (Harpo Productions)
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Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
