Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have had one of the most dramatic and active first years of marriage in history, and the pair are truly ready to settle into their forever home, insiders tell People and Us Weekly.
The Sussexes made world headlines in January when they stepped down from their senior royal roles, reportedly in a bid to evade tabloid intrusion and lead more normal lives with their son Archie. But their moves, first to Canada, then L.A., now Montecito have been tracked, dissected and watched, prompting them to file multiple invasion of privacy lawsuits against paparazzi photographers.
A source tells People of their decision to move to Santa Barbara: “This is their permanent home. Ever since Archie arrived, everything has been so turbulent, and many things have been up in the air. It has not been easy, necessarily. For the first time in a long time, they have a clear focus.”
The 9-bedroom mansion cost them about $14 million. Archie seems to love it too: “Archie is really happy, and he has some space to run free. The house came with a play structure that he’ll be climbing in no time. They’re excited to be there and to become part of the community. It’s a really happy time for them as a family.”
An insider tells Us that they pair plan to make some changes to the main living area, the kitchen and the gym. Harry, meanwhile, is talking about building a tasteful drinking area by the pool.” The home already has a wine cellar.
Plus, they will convert one of the guest houses for Meghan’s mom Doria Ragland “who plans to split her time between L.A. and Montecito.”