Topics: Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Life, Royal Family, Home, US News, Celebrity
An American actor and game-show host has revealed that despite hoping to keep ‘a low profile’, the presence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in his ‘sleepy little town’ has changed the area dramatically.
In 2020, Prince Harry, 40, and his wife Meghan, 44, completed their exodus from the United Kingdom, swapping Windsor for California where the pair continue to raise their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.
The move from Frogmore Cottage to the United States came as the royal couple stepped away from senior duties.
Since then, Harry has continued his work with the Invictus Games and released his bombshell autobiography Spare in 2023. Meanwhile, the Suits alum recently launched a lifestyle brand and starred in the Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.
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One person who lives in the same town as the duo is Rob Lowe, Brat Pack member and host of The Floor.
According to the 61-year-old, the Sussexes have tried to maintain a low profile, but have ultimately driven up property prices in Montecito, California, because of their stardom.
“They definitely have brought a lot of attention to my sleepy little town,” he told E! News in 2021.
“Let me tell you something: once the royals move into your neighbourhood, the neighbourhood is never going to be the same.”
The Wayne’s World star continued: “The good news is property values go up, the bad news is the lines are longer at Starbucks.”
Harry and Meghan aren’t Rob’s only famous neighbours, with Oprah Winfrey, 71, and Gwyneth Paltrow, 52, also owning sprawling abodes in the wealthy Santa Barbara County enclave.
Speaking about the impact Oprah specifically has had on the area, Rob said: “When Oprah moved in, that began the sort of resurgence of Montecito.”
While Rob has seemingly welcomed the royals with open arms, not everyone is as happy to have the Sussexes on their doorstep.
“They moved away from England to escape the scrutiny of the press, and all they do is try and get in the press in the United States,” a supposed neighbour said, via the Irish Star.
The same resident allegedly remarked: “I still think they're the most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet.”
Harry and Meghan’s Montecito Mansion encompasses an expansive 7.4-acre property, according to the Express US.
House and Garden reported that it comprises of nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms and that the manse features an array of ‘thoughtfully designed spaces that blend comfort and sophistication’.
Last year, the Duke of Sussex revealed that he planned on staying in the United States for good.
Speaking to Andrew Sorkin at The New York Times Dealbook Summit in December, the father-of-two said: “I very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here.”
He also claimed his family were able to access a degree of privacy and freedom they ‘undoubtedly wouldn't be able to do in the UK’ due to concerns around security, as per the BBC.
