Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘Have Become Local Villains’ in Montecito—and Are Blamed for Driving Up Home Prices and Flooding Community With Unwanted Tourists

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are once again facing furious criticism from their fellow Montecito CA, residents—who reportedly view the Sussexes as “local villains” and blame them for driving up housing prices in the tony California enclave.

Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, have been living in a $14.65 million mansion in the popular neighborhood since 2020, when they sensationally quit their roles as senior working royals and permanently relocated to the U.S.

But in the five years that they have been residing in Montecito, it seems they have done little to garner goodwill among their neighbors—at least those who spoke anonymously to Vanity Fair for a recent article about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s post-palace lives.

Just weeks after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were lambasted by one of their neighbors for their lack of involvement in the community, a group of unnamed Montecitans have spoken out to accuse the couple of not only causing an increase in housing prices in their community, but also drawing in a swath of unwelcome tourists to their once-quiet neighborhood.

Montecito is by no means a stranger to the celebrity world, having served as a homebase for a host of A-list stars over the years, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Douglas, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

However, according to the locals who spoke to Vanity Fair, while those stars managed to “peacefully coexist” with their neighbors, something that they say Harry and Meghan have failed to do.

“I think everyone, including the A-list celebs, would prefer that it’s not on the map like it is,” one resident—who refers to the Sussexes as “The Prince and the starlet”—told the outlet.

The couple have become local villains, according to several people who spoke with VF, the article states.

According to Vanity Fair, Harry and Meghan—along with comedian turned real estate investor Ellen DeGeneres—are all blamed for the increase home prices in Montecito, as well as a flood of photographers and fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the Sussexes in the local area.

“They attribute the increase in housing prices to them as much as DeGeneres and point to out-of-towners coming in, driving too fast, and taking up all the street parking by local trails like the one Meghan was photographed hiking on while Harry was in the U.K. for Charles’s coronation,” the outlet claims.

According to Realtor.com® economist Hannah Jones, the median home price in California has climbed 29.7% over the last five years—however, the median price in Montecito has “outpaced the state as a whole,” climbing from $5.1 million in December 2019 to $7.5 million in December 2024.

This 47.3% increase is “not typical,” Jones notes, explaining: “Even in in-demand Montecito, a home doubling in value since 2020 is not typical. Renovations, additions and general fame-driven popularity all could contribute to outsized price growth.”

While Meghan and Harry are by no means the first famous people to move to Montecito, they are perhaps some of the first to have wrapped the town into so many of their business ventures since leaving the royal family.

Both have filmed numerous TV shows and interviews in and around Montecito, with Meghan most recently taping her upcoming Netflix lifestyle series inside an $8 million property that is located just a few miles from her and Harry’s own home.

It’s thought that the duo also filmed their explosive 2021 Oprah interview at a property in Montecito—although its exact location has never been revealed.

Meghan also chose the town as the inspiration for her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, which she “soft launched” in March 2024 by sending out jars of jam to a host of her high-profile friends.

Not only is the business based in Montecito, but it has been speculated that the name was also inspired by the nickname once used to refer to the town: “American Riviera.”

“It’s such a kind of hucksterism,” one unnamed resident told Vanity Fair. “It’s just finding every way she can to monetize something.

“I still think they’re the most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet. They moved away from England to get away from the scrutiny of the press, and all they do is try and get in the press in the United States.”