How much would it cost you to become neighbours to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in the Montecito district of Santa Barbara? Answer: Very expensive. Because the price of a square mother is not given in this charming Californian city.
40 million dollars is the amount you will have to pay if you want to become neighbours to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. After leaving the royal family, the Sussex family first landed in Canada before spending a few months in director Tyler Perry’s luxurious villa in Los Angeles.
But it was in the hamlet of Montecito, Santa Barbara, that the Sussex finally decided to settle down. This summer, Archie’s parents spent $14.7 million, or nearly 12.5 million euros, to buy a beautiful property in this quiet town nestled between the Santa Ynez mountains and the Pacific Ocean, about 90 miles from the City of Angels.
But Harry and Meghan may have gotten a good deal on this huge palatial mansion with nine bedrooms, sixteen bathrooms, a large games room with billiards, poker table and bar, a spa with sauna, a gym, a theatre, a wine cellar and comes with a garage, a tennis court, a magnificent swimming pool or a guest house where Doria Ragland can stay and play Archie’s nanny. Because in Montecito – the star-studded neighborhood where Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow and George Lucas own a house – a square meter is very expensive.
A very expensive neighbourhood
But tranquillity is priceless. Or rather it does, and it is very expensive. Quoting the ever-informed de Variety, Paris Match reveals that Ellen DeGeneres and his wife Portia de Rossi have put their Montecito property up for sale for $39.9 million, or about 34 million euros.
And would the arrival of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in the neighborhood have driven up prices? The huge estate, which includes a 1,000-square-metre mansion and more than six hectares of land, was purchased in 2019 for $27 million.
A nice capital gain. It must be said that the American presenter and actress, who over the years have owned several villas in Santa Barbara, have gotten into the habit of buying properties in the area to renovate, redecorate and resell them at a higher price.
For Montecito is a neighbourhood that is in high demand among the stars. “One of the reasons celebrities like to live in Santa Barbara is that they feel like ordinary people and don’t get harassed by locals or paparazzi,” a spokeswoman for Visit Santa Barbara said recently.
The city has thus become the haven of peace that Meghan and Harry dreamed of. “They wanted a smaller community, to live at a slower pace. Montecito is very relaxed, a charming little town and the Santa Barbara area offers a lifestyle they can’t wait to embrace,” a source close to the couple told People magazine at the end of August. There, they feel good, at last.
Photo credits: Backgrid UK/ Bestimage