Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Move to Santa Barbara

[Originally published online at Newsmakers with Jerry Roberts]

Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle, apparently informed that locals are singularly unimpressed by celebrity, have bought a home in Santa Barbara and have been living among us with young Archie for the past six weeks, according to a published report.

A seemingly well-sourced Page Six column by Emily Smith, labeled “Exclusive” in the New York Post, reports that the couple, who fled the royal life in England, has been “quietly living in their own home in Santa Barbara since early July.”

The couple is friends with both Oprah and Ellen, who apparently were influential in convincing them that Santa Barbara was the kind of paparazzi-free place where they could indulge their much-publicized desire for privacy and raise their kid in peace.

From Page Six:

Amid much speculation that the couple would buy a place in Los Angeles, a source told Page Six, “Harry and Meghan have been quietly living in their own home in Santa Barbara since early July.

“They are not houseguests of Oprah or anyone else; they bought this home themselves. This is where they want to continue their lives after leaving the U.K.

“This is the first home either of them has ever owned. It has been a very special time for them as a couple and as a family — to have complete privacy for six weeks since they moved in. They intend to put down their roots in this house and the quiet community, which has considerable privacy. This is where they want to bring Archie up, where they hope he can have as normal a life as possible.”