EXCLUSIVE: Revealed — The VERY Raunchy Feature Meghan Markle 'Immediately Had Ripped Out of Her Montecito Mansion'… And Why She Almost Never Bought $29M Home
Meghan Markle allegedly removed a pole dancing pole from her home to make it family-friendly.
Feb. 27 2026, Published 4:19 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle immediately ordered the removal of a pole-dancing pole from the gym of her $29million Montecito mansion, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Meghan, 44, and Prince Harry, 41, bought the nine-bedroom, 16-bathroom estate known as the Chateau of Riven Rock in July 2020 – now valued at $29million – months after stepping back as senior members of the royal family and relocating to the United States.
The Duke and Duchess bought the nine-bedroom Montecito estate in July 2020.
The sprawling property in Montecito, set amid acres of landscaped grounds, boasts a wine cellar, games room and movie theater – but before the Sussexes moved in, the home gym reportedly contained a pole-dancing pole installed during its time as a rental venue for photoshoots and events.
According to archived listings on booking platform Giggster, the mansion was marketed for commercial hire prior to the couple's purchase, with promotional material highlighting its extensive amenities. The mention of a pole in the gym, while reflective of its previous life as an events space, is understood to have jarred with the Sussexes' vision of a private, family-oriented retreat.
'Removed Almost Immediately' After Purchase
Meghan Markle ordered the immediate removal of a pole-dancing pole from her home gym.
A source familiar with the property said: "Given the stage they were at – newly settled in California with Archie and carving out a fresh start – that feature was never going to stay. It was removed almost immediately.
"They wanted the house to reflect wellness, privacy and family life."
At the time of purchase, the couple were parents to Archie, now 6, with daughter Lilibet, 4, born the following year.
Another source said: "Their priority was creating a safe, calm environment for their children. Anything that felt performative or out of sync with that was quickly reconsidered."
Symbolic Palm Trees and Limited Glimpses Inside
Prince Harry identified a deep symbolism in the two intertwined palm trees on the grounds.
The Sussexes have offered limited glimpses inside the estate. Their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan featured footage of the grounds and interiors, while Meghan's social media posts frequently spotlight the garden.
On Valentine's Day, she shared an image of Harry cuddling Lilibet beneath two intertwined palm trees – a detail of her home she previously described as hugely symbolic for her and her family.
Recalling the moment they first toured the property, Meghan said: "One of the first things my husband saw when we walked around the house was those two palm trees. See how they're connected at the bottom? He goes, 'My love, it's us.' And now every day when Archie goes by us, he says, 'Hi, Momma. Hi, Papa.'"
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Harry and Meghan filmed segments of their Netflix documentary within the estate’s interiors.
Despite ultimately securing the estate, the couple nearly passed on even viewing it.
Meghan said about their house hunting period: "We didn't have jobs, so we just were not going to come and see this house. It wasn't possible. 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."
In his memoir Spare, Harry detailed how they financed the mansion purchase. He wrote: "So we pulled together a down-payment, took out a mortgage, and in July 2020 we moved in."
A real estate source in Santa Barbara County said the property's prior use as a rental was not unusual for luxury homes in the area.
"High-end estates are often monetized before sale," they said. "What matters is how the new owners redefine the space. In this case, the Sussexes appear to have reshaped it quickly into a private residence aligned with their brand of wellness and domestic life."
