Are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry selling their Montecito home? The reason may shock you

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are rumored to be selling their property in Montecito and looking for a new home in the Hope Ranch area over Santa Barbara. 

Despite owning one of the world's best homes on the Central Coast of California, the couple is reportedly looking to invest in the exclusive gated community around 10 miles east of Montecito, where they moved in June 2020. The potential move comes after an increase in theft around their current neighborhood, the British newspaper The Sun reports. 

The source explains the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department is installing six license plate recognition cameras around celebrity-populated areas in Montecito, similar to where the couple currently resides. 

Meghan and Harry first moved to Montecito – the town between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean – following a small time in Los Angeles when they relocated to the US. This upscale town was an inevitable choice for Meghan, according to Us Weekly, who reported that she had fallen in love with its stunning scenery and architecture as a teen. 

'Moving there was always an option, but to begin with, she and Harry wanted to give Los Angeles a shot,' the report says. 'Unfortunately, Harry hated it – the timing was so wrong amid the pandemic, and they lacked privacy.'

Other celebrities who live in the area include Ariana Grande, Jennifer Aniston, Orlando Bloom, and Ellen DeGeneres, who also owns a Robert Skinner-designed mid-century modern home in Beverly Hills.

Prince Harry's move comes at a similar time as his brother, Prince William, who also moved royal residences recently. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales recently announced they were moving from the prestigious Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage in Berkshire – near Windsor Castle. Prince William and Catherine moved to the country to allow their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, to attend the co-educational private Lambrook School near Ascot in Berkshire. However, they are expected to keep Apartment 1A as a base while they are in London. 

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have not commented on whether they are selling or their plans to move. However, The Daily Mail cites a report that the couple may already have purchased a property in the Hope Ranch area. We will let you know as soon as we have more information.