Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Scrapped Montecito Farewell Party After A-List Pals Were 'Too Busy' — 'It Was Embarrassing'
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry hoped to throw a big Montecito farewell party but were reportedly shunned by showbiz pals.
Sept. 3 2026, Published 6:00 a.m. ET
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry scrapped a Montecito farewell party after being shunned by A-list pals, according to new claims RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Sussexes reportedly hoped to sign off their six-year stint in California in style, surrounded by huge names in showbiz, but ended up leaving with a whimper.
A-List No-Shows
Oprah Winfrey and Kris Jenner were reportedly two of the A-listers who were unavailable.
According to Rob Shuter's Naughty But Nice Substack page, an insider said: "They started quietly feeling people out, and the response was basically crickets.
"They imagined this emotional send-off surrounded by the people who welcomed them to America. Instead, everyone was busy. It was embarrassing."
The Sussexes reportedly hoped names including Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, David Foster, and Kris Jenner would attend the bash before dumping the idea and leaving with little fanfare.
'Nobody Could Find a Free Night'
The Sussexes have seen relationships with A-listers change over the years.
The source claimed: "These weren’t supposed to be Hollywood acquaintances. These were supposed to be real friends.
"Tyler gave them extraordinary support when they arrived. Oprah gave them a global platform. Harry and Meghan genuinely believed they had built an American family."
But insiders claim those relationships changed as the years passed, adding: "When there was a royal wedding, a Netflix deal, or a big interview, everybody wanted a seat at the table.
"For the goodbye party, suddenly nobody could find a free night."
Neighbors 'Happy To See Them Leave'
The couple's Montecito neighbors are reportedly non-fussed by their departure.
Radar previously reported that Markle and Harry's Montecito neighbors were happy to see the couple depart for the U.K.
Locals have accused the couple of failing to embrace the local community, claiming they were only interested in friendships with billionaires or celebrities.
Author Robert Eringer told the Daily Mail: "I'm out and about in Montecito a lot and never saw them. I doubt anyone would have noticed they'd left if it hadn't been reported in the news.”
Another neighbor, Susan, shared she'd only seen them in passing moments, like Harry, 41, riding his bike or Markle, 44, driving her Range Rover. She recalled the alleged cold response she got after she tried to send them a welcoming gift when they moved to their estate in 2020.
The couple have already enraged their new neighbors, according to new claims.
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"I left a bottle of wine at their gate to welcome them, and it was returned to me, unopened, the following day," Susan claimed. "I'm not sure they ever wanted to hang out with anyone who wasn’t a billionaire or famous or both."
And it appears the Sussexes are now enraging their new neighbors, following their move to the U.K. last week.
The pair are facing a distinctly chilly welcome from some Cotswolds residents as speculation that they could establish a home in the celebrity-filled countryside fuels complaints about security, schools and their bitter history with the Royal Family
The two are reportedly considering the Cotswolds as a base for themselves and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
But the prospect has prompted feverish discussion among residents of the wealthy rural enclave, where King Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 79, already have strong local connections.
One local told Radar: "The prospect of Harry and Meghan moving here has gone from being treated as another piece of royal gossip to something people are genuinely discussing in villages, at school gates and in local WhatsApp groups.
"The reaction isn't really about having celebrities on the doorstep – the Cotswolds is already packed with extremely famous and wealthy people, and residents are accustomed to giving them their privacy."
