Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been a controversial couple ever since their 2018
wedding at St. George's Chapel. Opinions about Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan vary
wildly, and the U.K. tabloids are far more critical of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
than the pond's American side. However, ever since the royal couple moved to Santa Barbara,
there have been rumors that Harry and Meghan's Montecito neighbors
aren't happy. But are the stories about Harry and Meghan's neighbors true?
Since Harry and Meghan moved to the United States with their son, Archie,
they appear to be much happier. The royal couple also welcomed a baby daughter in June 2021,
and many reports indicate that they are living their best life in Santa Barbara. But the stories
about Harry and Meghan behaving badly toward their Montecito neighbors keep popping up.
Actor Rob Lowe talked to E! News about neighbors Meghan and Harry,
saying the couple lives, quote, "over the fence" from him. According to Lowe,
"They definitely have brought a lot of attention to my sleepy
little town [...] Let me tell you something, once the royals move into your neighborhood,
the neighborhood is never going to be the same. [...] Now that the royals are here:
The good news is property values go up, the bad news is the line is longer at Starbucks."
"Everyone leaves you alone. You can live a normal life there."
Many reports about neighbors hating on Meghan and Harry, meanwhile,
appear to come from less reliable tabloids or anonymous sources. It also appears that
some British tabloids twist comments in a negative way. For example, Lowe's interview
about the couple was not negative, but some British media spun it differently.
One of the American sources of the bad neighbor rumors
is an August 2020 story from TMZ. The outlet reported that the royal couple's Montecito
neighbors weren't angry at Harry and Meghan, but they were annoyed nonetheless. Per TMZ,
"Harry and Meghan haven't even been seen in public, and their mere presence is driving folks
wild [...] not because of them, but because of the influx of paparazzi on the hunt for the shot."
Harry and Meghan's Montecito neighborhood is fancy,
and the royal couple's neighbors appear to like them. It seems that those who
actually know Meghan and Harry report they are down-to-earth and nice people.
Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, are the royal couple's neighbors, and Orlando Bloom
and Katy Perry live next door. In an interview on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast,
Prince Harry revealed that he's friends with Bloom. Hello! also reported in May
2021 that the royal couple had struck up a friendship with Bloom and Perry,
as both couples have young children. DeGeneres, meanwhile, met Harry and
Meghan before they moved to America. The talk show host told her audience in 2019,
"They're the cutest couple, and so down-to-earth. I just, I hate it. I see them get attacked,
and it's just not fair. They're just two of the most down-to-earth, compassionate people."
TMZ summed up the negative stories about Harry and Meghan's Montecito neighbors best,
emphasizing that it was the paparazzi that people were angry about, and wrote,
"Locals say it's been a high-society town long before the royals came knocking."
Although Harry and Meghan are keeping a relatively low-profile,
their neighbors are concerned about the location of their house as fire season gets closer.
Montecito Fire's Public Information Officer told The Sun that the couple
should have plans in place should they need to evacuate, explaining,
"We are facing concerning conditions in terms of record-low fuel moistures and predicted
weather patterns. Those factors could lead to a severe fire season [...] On [Meghan and Harry's
road] and in all areas of the Montecito Fire Protection District, we have been conducting
extensive wildfire prevention work in order to educate, prepare and protect our community."
A source expressed their concerns over the dryness of the area, and told the publication,
"The Sussexes' place is right in the firing line, unfortunately [...] They live in the
foothills of Montecito where there are hundreds of stands of eucalyptus that
tend to explode because they're full of oil, rather than merely burn. A lot of people in
our neighborhood are on edge, worried sick about how bad this fire season will be."
It looks like Harry and Meghan's neighbors truly are concerned about the couple's safety.
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus,
even more Nicki Swift videos about the royal family are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.