Montecito Residents React to Harry and Meghan's UK Return, Keeping $14.7 Million Estate
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 21
Montecito Residents React to Harry and Meghan's UK Return, Keeping $14.7 Million Estate
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 21
Summary
Montecito residents mostly met Prince Harry and Meghan’s planned return to the UK with indifference or understanding, though one longtime local said “good riddance” as the couple reportedly keep their California home.
A $14.7 million estate purchase in 2020 turned the enclave into a global royal outpost, drawing helicopters, photographers and reporter requests that irritated neighbors even as tourism officials marketed Montecito as “Fit for Royalty.”
11,000-member local Facebook moderator Erin E Doherty said Harry often blended into daily life, including beach walks with his children, and called the move a natural way to reconnect them with family in Britain.
Santa Barbara tourism officials said the couple supported local businesses, and Meghan’s Netflix cooking show even featured some area attractions, underscoring the visibility Montecito gained during their six-year stay.
90 miles north of Los Angeles, Montecito is unlikely to lose its celebrity cachet, but Harry and Meghan’s departure could end the town’s most intense burst of international attention.