Montecito, California, is no stranger to disruption, from earthquakes and mudslides to the ever-present threat of wildfires. But news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing to leave the affluent coastal enclave and return to Britain this month has caused little visible upset among residents.
Located about 90 minutes north of Los Angeles along the Pacific Coast, the postcard-perfect hillside community is known for its gated estates, ocean views and A-list homeowners, including Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi.
Still, the prospect of losing two of its most famous residents has not exactly sent Montecito into mourning. When Our News Outlet visited the town on Wednesday following the Sussexes’ surprise announcement, the mood was less heartbreak than quiet relief that the long-running royal drama may finally be moving on.
‘We don’t really give a crap,’ Vanessa Lynn, the plain-spoken manager of a local women’s boutique, told Our News Outlet.
‘We don’t care. This used to be a nice sleepy little town, but when Harry and Meghan arrived, a bunch of people would come in hoping to see them. But Harry and Meghan didn’t really assimilate into the community. We rarely saw them walking down the street or shopping in town. Visitors were usually disappointed.’
Her friend Debbie shared a similar view, saying the couple kept a noticeably low profile. ‘They never really went out and about anywhere. We all hoped they would support local shops and patronize local restaurants, but that rarely happened.’
In a community where celebrity privacy is treated almost as a civic value — and where several people would speak only on a first-name basis — not everyone was willing to be so blunt. Even so, Our News Outlet understands that one of Montecito’s best-known residents, actress and lifestyle entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow, is unlikely to be devastated by Meghan’s exit.
A source said: ‘Gwyneth didn’t like being compared to Meghan, so she is glad she is moving out of Montecito. Gwyneth also did not like all the comparisons with Meghan’s brand [As Ever] and her brand Goop, it was like enough already! But she wishes them well with their new life.’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s announcement that they are leaving Montecito barely raised an eyebrow among locals and famous residents alike
The Daily Mail understands that Montecito’s most notable resident, Gwyneth Paltrow, will hardly shed a tear over their departure
Just a 90-minute drive up the coastal highway from Los Angeles, Montecito is a picturesque hillside community awash with mega-mansions and sprawling estates (pictured: Harry and Meghan’s home)
Paltrow, 53, who has said she and Meghan, 45, are not close and have only hung out ‘a few times’, last year debunked rumors of any ‘beef’ with the duchess when they appeared in a social media video together.
A second source said there is no rift because ‘Gwyneth really admires Meghan.’
‘The world has been hard on her,’ the source said. ‘Gwyneth just hated being compared to Meghan, like she thought it was petty and mean, she doesn’t want to be pitted against another woman ever. She is into sisterhood and women supporting other women.
‘There were rumblings earlier this year in the Hollywood crowd that Meghan and Harry were going back to England. They had done what they could do with the streamers [Netflix and Spotify]. There was a lot of chatter they felt like they did the Montecito thing and were done. So not much of a shock. Gwyneth and her circle think it’s great because now Meghan and Harry can be closer to his family.’
It is understood that other rich and famous Montecitans had found themselves irritated at the Sussexes’ constant scene stealing.
‘Everything in Montecito was about Harry and Meghan this, Harry and Meghan that, and it got tiring, especially for the other stars who live there,’ a source said.
The Daily Mail has contacted Paltrow’s representatives for comment.
Beyond the privacy, it’s easy to see the appeal of Montecito: Hacienda-style Spanish architecture and streets lined with eucalyptus lend a sub-tropical air to the coastal town – the perfect backdrop to Meghan’s As Ever vision.
British-born Julie Groen, 62, a longtime resident, said: ‘I wonder if they regret moving here? Maybe they thought the grass was greener on the other side of the ocean and found out it wasn’t.
‘Their departure won’t matter to Montecito at all. Nothing will change here, life will go on.’
Carlos, 45, waiting in line outside trendy local restaurant Bettina, agreed: ‘We won’t miss them. This place is crawling with celebrities.’
Harry and Meghan’s imminent departure was not greeted by Montecito locals with sounds of mourning
The sleepy, low-key town is the perfect backdrop for Meghan’s As Ever vision
Groen, like many people Our News Outlet spoke to, had never interacted with nor seen the couple around town and wondered why they’d give up Montecito’s notoriously low-key life.
‘I won’t say “Good riddance” to him, but honestly it would have been nice to have met him,’ Groen said.
Harry and Meghan moved to California in 2020, having turned their back on the Royal Family and a life of duty.
After a few weeks staying in the Los Angeles home of movie mogul Tyler Perry, the couple moved in June 2020 to Montecito, purchasing an 18,671sq ft mansion with nine-bedrooms and 19 bathrooms on a 7.3-acre estate for $14.65 million. Online property website Zillow now estimates the home’s value at $30.5 million, while Redfin estimates it at $55.8 million.
‘I don’t think their departure will affect property values,’ Montecito estate agent Cathy O’Neill said. ‘Oprah put this town on the map when she moved here, and others followed. Harry and Meghan coming or going won’t make any difference.’
Many simply never saw it as a fit for the Sussexes to begin with. Stephanie Taylor, a saleswoman in a high-end boutique, said she is ‘not surprised to see Harry and Meghan leaving California.’
‘I honestly didn’t think he’d last long over here,’ said Taylor, 70. ‘It’s a huge cultural difference from England. He can’t just go out to the pub. It’s isolating here.
‘He’s going back to all the problems he desperately wanted to escape by coming to America.’
Marcie Gudebski, 71, dining outside the Pierre La Fond restaurant and home furnishings store where Meghan occasionally shops, said: ‘I guess it didn’t work out the way she planned. Their leaving won’t make a bit of difference to the town. And anyway, I’m Team William and Kate.’
‘I don’t think their departure will affect property values,’ Montecito estate agent Cathy O’Neill said. ‘Oprah put this town on the map when she moved here, and others followed’
‘Their leaving won’t make a bit of difference to the town,’ said resident Marcie Gudebski
Montecito local Meagan Stirling said she ‘always hoped to run into them… but that hasn’t happened and now probably never will’
Indifference was a common reaction to the royal couple’s emigration. Medical technician Joyce Zimmer, 65, said it plainly: ‘I really don’t care if they leave or stay.’
Two forty-something ladies who lunch, sipping glasses of chardonnay at the Sunstone Wine Lodge on Montecito’s Coast Village Road, spoke on condition of anonymity.
‘I don’t think anyone cares if they leave,’ said the blonde. ‘There are so many celebrities living here, and frankly Harry and Meghan weren’t on their level. But she seemed to think she was more important than anyone here. That didn’t endear her to the community. I spoke to Harry at the gym, and at least he was friendly.’
Her brunette friend added: ‘[Meghan] was a little less friendly.’
Many Montecito residents spoke of their disappointment at never meeting or even seeing Harry and Meghan, like mother-of-two Meagan Stirling, 45, a self-confessed fan of the Royal Family.
‘I always hoped to run into them hiking and have a nice conversation, but that hasn’t happened and now probably never will,’ said Stirling as she dined at cozy pizza parlor Bettina.
Her husband Tim, 46, was less star-struck: ‘Their departure won’t affect me at all, and probably won’t change life for anyone in Montecito.’
Gas station attendant Marco Menchaca, 65, recalled the day when he saw Harry visit his garage – five years ago.
‘He bought two protein bars and two bottles of water,’ Menchaca said. ‘I think they’ll be happier going to be with his family.’
But the man behind the counter at The Bottle Shop liquor store was not so fortunate. ‘They never come in here, so their leaving won’t make any difference to me,’ he said.
Angel boutique salesgirls Mia Zarella and Sophia Olvera, both aged 21, had never seen Harry or Meghan around the streets of Montecito. ‘Now they’re leaving I suppose I never will,’ says Zarella.
Angel boutique salesgirls Mia Zarella (left) and Sophia Olvera had never seen Harry or Meghan around the streets of Montecito
But there are those who will lament the royal departure, mostly all staff at restaurants the couple sometimes frequented.
‘We’ll miss them,’ said Brett Sanderson, manager of Lucky’s Steakhouse, where Harry and Meghan have dined on occasion. ‘We love them.’
At the Little Mountain restaurant, maitre d’ Jessi said: ‘They’ve been here several times and we’ll certainly miss their presence.’
Career and leadership coach Khewna Dawar, 45, relaxing in Starbucks with her four-year-old daughter, believes that the royal duo will soon realize they have made a mistake returning to Britain.
‘I think they will regret leaving Montecito,’ she said. ‘It’s an astonishingly private, quiet and reclusive community, and people respect their privacy. They’ll miss that once they’ve gone.
‘It’s hard to say goodbye to this place.’
