Prince Harry, Meghan Markle upset their Los Angeles neighbours

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have greatly upset their well-heeled and A-list neighbours due to their recent fame-grabbing antics, it seems.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. Picture: Dominic Lipinski – Pool/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing more criticism from their California neighbours, who have branded them as “local villains” and blamed them for driving up housing prices in the enclave.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been living in a $US14.65 million ($A20.9 million) mansion in Montecito since 2020 after stepping down as senior working royals and relocating to the US.

But in the five years that the couple have been residing in the popular neighbourhood, it seems they have done little to garner goodwill among their neighbours.

In a Vanity Fair article, a group of unnamed Montecitans spoke out to accuse the Sussexes of not only causing an increase in housing prices in their community, but also drawing in a swath of unwelcome tourists to their once-quiet neighbourhood.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing criticism from their California neighbours. Picture: Andrew Milligan – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Meghan and Harry live in a $20.9 million mansion, which they purchased in 2020. Picture: Google Maps

Montecito is no stranger to the celebrity world. The area has served as a homebase for a host of A-list stars over the years, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Douglas, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

However, according to the locals who spoke to Vanity Fair, while those stars managed to “peacefully coexist” with their neighbours, something that they say Harry and Meghan have failed to do.

“I think everyone, including the A-list celebs, would prefer that it’s not on the map like it is,” one resident — who refers to the Sussexes as “The Prince and the starlet” — told the outlet.

The couple have become local villains, according to several people who spoke with VF, the article states.

Celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow want to be noticed but not noticed in Montecito. Picture: Getty

According to Vanity Fair, Harry and Meghan — along with comedian turned real estate investor Ellen DeGeneres — are all blamed for the increased home prices in Montecito, as well as a flood of photographers and fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the Sussexes in the local area.

“They attribute the increase in housing prices to them as much as DeGeneres and point to out-of-towners coming in, driving too fast, and taking up all the street parking by local trails like the one Meghan was photographed hiking on while Harry was in the U.K. for Charles’s coronation,” the outlet claims.

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Harry and Meghan have been accused of drawing in unwanted visitors by wrapping the community into their many projects. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

According to one unnamed resident, Harry and Meghan have become “local villains.” Picture: Instagram/Meghan

According to Realtor economist Hannah Jones, the median home price in California has climbed 29.7 per cent over the last five years — however, the median price in Montecito has “outpaced the state as a whole,” climbing from $US5.1 million in December 2019 to $US7.5 million in December 2024.

This 47.3 per cent increase is “not typical,” Jones notes, explaining:

“Even in in-demand Montecito, a home doubling in value since 2020 is not typical. Renovations, additions and general fame-driven popularity all could contribute to outsized price growth.”

While Meghan and Harry are by no means the first famous people to move to Montecito, they are perhaps some of the first to have wrapped the town into so many of their business ventures since leaving the royal family.

Both have filmed numerous TV shows and interviews in and around Montecito, with Meghan most recently taping her upcoming Netflix lifestyle series inside an $US8 million ($A12.8 million) property that is located just three kilometres from her and Harry’s own home.

It’s thought that the duo also filmed their explosive 2021 Oprah interview at a property in Montecito — although its exact location has never been revealed.

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Meghan Markle’s upcoming Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan”. Picture: Netflix

The Duchess of Sussex shot the show inside an $US8 million home belonging to two philanthropists. Picture: Netflix

Meghan also chose the town as the inspiration for her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, which she “soft launched” in March 2024 by sending out jars of jam to a host of her high-profile friends.

Not only is the business based in Montecito, but it has been speculated that the name was also inspired by the nickname once used to refer to the town: “American Riviera.”

“It’s such a kind of hucksterism,” one unnamed resident told Vanity Fair. “It’s just finding every way she can to monetise something.

“I still think they’re the most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet.

“They moved away from England to get away from the scrutiny of the press, and all they do is try and get in the press in the United States.”

Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and was republished with permission.

Originally published as Prince Harry, Meghan Markle upset their Los Angeles neighbours