When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle landed in Montecito in 2020, the world pictured royal grace settling into California’s most exclusive hideaway.
Instead? Locals say they got chaos.
“Nothing’s Ever the Same”
Hollywood star Rob Lowe, who’s called Montecito home for years, didn’t mince words: “Once royalty moves into your neighborhood, nothing is ever the same.”
Property values shot up. Peace and quiet? Gone.
Now there are queues at coffee shops, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and paparazzi lurking at every corner.
From Privacy to Paparazzi
“They left Britain to escape the media,” one local scoffed. “But it’s worse here. Tourists everywhere. We can’t even grab a latte without a one-hour wait.”
Another was blunter: “It used to be a sanctuary. Now it’s a circus.”
A $29 Million Fortress — and a Storm
Their Mediterranean-style estate is fit for a fairy tale — nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a home cinema, a gym, and eight acres of manicured gardens. But no amount of cypress trees can hide the tension it’s caused.
Not Everyone’s Oprah
Rob Lowe compared the royal arrival to Oprah Winfrey moving in years ago. She brought energy and prestige. Harry and Meghan? According to locals — just noise and headlines.
Paradise Lost
What was once a peaceful coastal paradise is now a stage for media frenzy. And in Montecito, the whispers are getting louder:
Some people will never escape the spotlight — and some neighborhoods will never be the same.
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