Sussex Snub: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry 'Shut Out' by Montecito Neighbors — 'No One Wants to Be Seen With Them'
Neighbors don't want to 'be seen' with the ex-royals.
March 24 2026, Published 6:45 p.m. ET
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's antics have left residents of their pricey enclave in Montecito, California, "exhausted," RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Locals are said to be actively avoiding the couple, who are seemingly on the prowl for new networking opportunities after being dumped by Netflix.
Neighbors 'Don't Want to Be Seen' With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have lived in Montecito since 2020.
Harry and Markle bought a nearly $15 million mansion in Montecito in the summer of 2020, after quitting the royal family and spending a few months couch surfing at pal Tyler Perry's Beverly Hills estate.
Prior to their arrival, the town was a quiet getaway for the rich and famous who wanted to leave behind the glitzy trappings of Los Angeles for a more peaceful, private and exclusive life.
When it comes to their neighbors, an insider claimed that "they are avoiding" the runaway royals.
"No one wants to be seen with them," added the insider.
In addition to lawyers, financiers, tech founders, and other non-famous wealthy denizens, the area is home to such stars as Katy Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, and Oprah Winfrey, the latter of whom seems to be one of Markle's main celebrity friends.
'Everyone's Exhausted by Them'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were labeled 'takers' by one fed-up resident.
The cold shoulder has been years in the making, and not just related to Harry and Markle's most recent spate of bad publicity. That includes Netflix cutting ties with her As Ever brand and a highly unflattering exposé by Hollywood bible Variety, which cited numerous sources at the streamer saying the company was "done" with the "exhausting" duo.
"It’s not hate," the source claimed. "It’s just a growing awareness that they’re takers with zero self-awareness. Everyone’s exhausted by them."
Making Money in Montecito
Meghan Markle frequently films social media content in her Montecito backyard.
Markle has made several attempts to make money off her Monetcito resident status, including her ill-fated American Riviera Orchard Brand. She announced the lifestyle brand in March 2024, with a confusing Instagram teaser video showing her at her mansion in a ballgown.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office pushed back against the moniker, saying Markle couldn't trademark the geographic nickname for the Santa Barbara area. She later rebranded the company to As Ever.
Markle tried to give the change a sunny upside, claiming in February 2025, "Last year, I had thought, 'American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name.' It’s my neighborhood; it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara, but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area."
She's since gone on to film plenty of content for her As Ever brand in the backyard of her Montecito home.
Meghan Markle 'Isn't an Asset' to the Montecito Community
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A longtime resident claims Prince Harry is a better fit in the community than his wife.
Royal expert and Montecito Journal contributor Richard Mineards has lived in the community since 2013 and writes the publication's society section, known as the "Grapevine."
He observed in May 2025 that Markle "never tried to fit in" with the town's upscale inhabitants and "doesn’t play the community game."
"I personally don’t think that Meghan is an asset to our community" he sneered.
Mineards noted Harry seemed to be a better fit.
"He is always charming, approachable, with that very recognizable Windsor accent. He smiles, shakes hands, willingly exchanges a few words," the columnist claimed. "We’ve seen him at the beach, in an organic coffee shop or cycling in the hills."
