Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s neighbors claimed the Sussexes’ departure from their Montecito mansion was quiet and largely uneventful. One neighbor said he had been out several times but never crossed paths with the family, adding that he doubts many locals even realized they had left until the media reported the news. For the unversed, the Sussexes and their children, Archie and Lilibet, arrived in the UK on August 26.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s neighbors reveal how they left Montecito
A neighbor told the Daily Mail that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry left their $14 million Montecito mansion with a “whimper, not a bang.” According to the neighbor, there were no moving trucks or parties ahead of the couple’s final goodbye to their home. Instead, their departure appeared to happen almost overnight, with the Sussexes seemingly there one day and back in the UK the next.
Another resident, author Robert Eringer, claimed that the Sussexes were never really part of the wealthy community. He said he had never crossed paths with the couple and suggested that many locals may only have learned about their departure through recent media reports.
Another neighbor, identified as Susan, claimed she had crossed paths with the Sussexes, including seeing Prince Harry riding a bicycle and Meghan Markle in a Range Rover. She also recalled an incident from 2020, when she warmly welcomed the family to the neighborhood but received what she described as a cold response.
“I left a bottle of wine at their gate to welcome them, and it was returned to me, unopened, the following day. I’m not sure they ever wanted to hang out with anyone who wasn’t a billionaire or famous or both,” she added.
Boutique owner Wendy Foster, however, appeared to understand the Sussexes’ decision to return to the UK. She initially described Markle as “polite” before noting that she is aware their royal titles do not carry the same weight in the US. In the UK, however, their titles hold considerably more significance.
