Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s $14.7 Million House in Montecito Santa Barbara
It looks like Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex have officially set up roots in California. Though the duo has been living in Tyler Perry’s Beverly Hills mansion for the past several months, it seems like they have found a more permanent residence where they can start their new life and raise their son, Archie Harrison.
When the Sussexes left the U.K. following Megxit to form a new, more peaceful life, no one could have imagined that they would land in Hollywood. After all, LA isn’t exactly under the radar. However, the couple has a tight-knit network of close friends including Oprah Winfrey, Meghan’s mom, Doria Ragland, and their new team who have been pivotal to their creation and eventual launch of their new venture, Archewell.
Now that the pair have found their family home, we have all of the intricate details about the sprawling estate.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry brought their first house
The Sussexes still pay rent on Frogmore Cottage, their U.K. estate in Windsor that was gifted to them by Queen Elizabeth II following their 2018 marriage. However, their new home in the community of Montecito in Santa Barbara is the first home that either one of them has ever owned.
Located about 100 miles outside of LA, the posh community is home to a ton of Hollywood stars including Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah. The Sussexes have apparently been living in the home since July. A source reportedly told Page Six,
Harry and Meghan have been quietly living in their own home in Santa Barbara since early July. They’re not houseguests of Oprah [who also lives in the area] or anyone else, they bought this home themselves. This is where they want to continue their lives after leaving the UK. This is the first home either of them has ever owned. It has been a very special time for them as a couple and as a family — to have complete privacy for six weeks since they moved in. This is where they want to bring Archie up, where they hope he can have as normal a life as possible.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle secured a $9.5 million mortgage to buy the $14.7 million house
Though the Sussexes’ are worth upward of $30 million, they secured a $9.5 million mortgage on their new home. The home was sold in mid-June to a trust that shares the same address as Meghan’s longtime Hollywood business manager.
The price of the estate obviously cost the pair a pretty penny. They were reportedly helped financially by Prince Charles. However, the duo did snag the house at a discount. Russian businessman Sergey Grishin brought the estate in 2009 for $25.3 million. Over the years, Grishin has tried to sell the home to no avail. Therefore, the Sussexes were able to snag it at a discount.
While Santa Barabra is a two-hour drive from LA, it’s based as a mostly paparazzi-free area with tons of wellness businesses and restaurants. “They have settled into the quiet privacy of their community since their arrival and hope that this will be respected for their neighbors, as well as for them as a family,” a spokesperson for the couple told HELLO! magazine.
Inside Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s sprawling Santa Barbara estate
The Sussexes’ new home sits on over seven acres of land. According to Variety, the Mediterranean-style main house includes a library, gym, separate wet and dry saunas, an elevator, arcade, game room, and home theater. The 19,000 square foot home has nine bedrooms and 16 bathrooms, more than enough for family and entertaining.
There is also a guest house, a “tea house,” a “children’s cottage,” a full-size tennis court, a lap-lane swimming pool, and an elaborate built-in children’s playset. You certainly can’t just drive up to the Sussexes’ property, it’s tucked away behind a private, gated street.