Crew Member on Meghan Markle’s Netflix Show ‘With Love, Meghan’ Reveals What the Sussexes’ $14.65 Million Mansion Is Really Like

A crew member who worked on Meghan Markle‘s new Netflix series has lifted the lid on what the Sussexes’ sprawling Montecito mansion is really like, after visiting the property to tape a few scenes for the lifestyle series.

Meghan sparked controversy when it was revealed that her new Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan,” was not filmed at her own $14.65 million home, but rather at a nearby property—despite the series being billed as offering a glimpse inside her personal life.

However, while the bulk of the 43-year-old’s show was taped at an $8 million home, the former “Suits” star did allow cameras to capture some scenes at her own abode—granting access to her chicken coop and her garden.

And now, one of the crew members who was lucky enough to be on-set at Casa Sussex has opened up about their experiences at the home, describing it as a “slice of paradise.”

“Man, they have carved themselves out a nice little slice of paradise there,” the unnamed production team member told People magazine.

“We were by the chicken coop, the garden, and the beehive. All of it is so peaceful and so serene. She’s got a lovely life there, and it was nice to just have a little glimpse of it.”

The show’s director, Michael Steed, also addressed the decision not to film at the home Meghan shares with her husband, Prince Harry, and their two children—saying that he believes having her tape the series in an unfamiliar space actually helped to add to its authenticity.

“For me, imperfection is a wonderful thing,” he told People. “It was fun watching her trying to get used to the kitchen, because it’s not her place. So we didn’t hide that fact, and she’s kind of walking and looking for things. I really wanted to embrace and celebrate all of the mistakes and mess and all that good stuff.”

Both Steed and his unnamed colleague were full of praise for Meghan’s skills as a hostess, with the former praising the mother of two’s “generosity.”

“I know it sounds corny, but I really think the core of Meghan’s being is her generosity,” Steed said. “She wants to do the extra thing, and I think that’s something everyone should take to heart.”

Meghan explained her own reasons for wanting to keep cameras out of her family home in a previous interview with People.

She and Harry wanted to “protect” the “safe haven” they have carved out for their kids, Archie and Lilibet, she told the magazine.

“I wanted to protect that safe haven,” she said. “We’re a close-knit family, and I love those moments—putting Lili down for a nap, having lunch together, having sacred time together at the end of the day. Our kitchen is where Mama just cooks for the family, and with a crew of 80-plus people, that’s a lot of people to have in your house!”

Meghan and Harry moved in to their Montecito home in 2020, shortly after quitting their roles as senior royals, with the Duchess of Sussex later revealing that the couple found the property online.

“We were looking in this area, and this house kept popping up online in searches,” she told The Cut in 2022. They initially resisted touring the home because they were worried they couldn’t afford such an opulent dwelling.

“We didn’t have jobs, so we just were not going to come and see this house. It wasn’t possible,” she went on. “It’s like when I was younger and you’re window shopping—it’s like, ‘I don’t want to go and look at all the things that I can’t afford.’ That doesn’t feel good.”

However, the couple did end up viewing the home and quickly fell in love with it, before they even set foot inside the front door.

“One of the first things my husband saw when we walked around the house was those two palm trees,” she explained, noting that they knew almost instantly that it was the perfect place to settle down with their family.

Although she and Harry have been very cautious about opening up their home to the public, in recent months, Meghan has been sharing more glimpses inside their life at the property, offering sneak peeks in and around the mansion on her newly restored Instagram account.

In the two months since she returned to the social media platform, Meghan has delighted her followers by sharing videos and images taken in and around the home, including a few that show her whipping up sweet treats in the kitchen with her kids.