Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s $29 million Montecito home could face renewed weather risks as experts and residents prepare for another rainy season. The Sussexes built a private family life in the California enclave after they left the UK in 2020. However, the area’s history of flooding and mudslides has raised concerns about what could happen when heavy rain returns.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly warned over extreme weather affecting Montecito home
Montecito has faced severe weather before, including major floods and mudslides that forced residents to evacuate. Current concerns focus on San Ysidro Creek, which runs near Harry and Meghan’s gated community. The Montecito Journal reported that authorities plan to tackle the area’s long-term flooding problems. However, some residents remain worried about heavier rainfall during the autumn and winter.
The area has already seen the devastating impact of extreme weather. Former Montecito resident Ellen DeGeneres was previously forced to evacuate her property during severe flooding and landslides, as reported by Hello Magazine. Millionaire businessman Terry Cunningham and his wife, Randi, originally purchased 5.4 acres of land in Montecito in 1999. They then spent four years building the 14,463-square-foot estate, known as The Chateau of Riven Rock. Cunningham, who heads software company Descartes Labs, designed the property around the French homes he and his wife admired during trips through the South of France.
“We cycled through the South of France many years ago and fell in love with that style,” Cunningham previously said. “It’s all French Provencal – a beautiful French country house.” However, Cunningham later admitted that he had not considered the area’s mudslide risk when he built the property. “We sure as hell didn’t think about it (the mudslides) when we were building, but certainly it’s something I would be thinking about now,” he told the Mail on Sunday.
Despite the environmental concerns, Harry and Meghan’s home has become a major financial asset. TMZ reported that they paid $14.65 million for the property, while Zillow now estimates its value at around $29 million, nearly doubling its worth.
Originally reported by Khushali Srivastava on Reality Tea.
