The British are… leaving?
Meghan and Harry are saying goodbye to the 805.
The Duchess and Duke of Sussex will return to the United Kingdom later this month after spending 6 years living in Montecito, as first reported by the Daily Telegraph.
The couple left their royal duties behind for the California coast in July of 2020, raising their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet among the private schools of Montecito. Archie and Lilibet are now enrolled in a British school this September.
The BBC reported that King Charles was unaware of the move, but welcomed the opportunity for family togetherness. Still, no current plans are under way for Meghan and Harry to resume their Royal roles at Buckingham Palace—they will relocate to a private residence outside of London.
Montecito is known as the exclusive—and expensive—celebrity enclave in Santa Barbara County. Megan and Harry were neighbors to other celebrities such as Oprah, Gwenyth Paltrow and Katy Perry. On the other end, some, more private Montecito community members dislike celebrity presence, as it draws attention to the secluded neighborhoods they sought for privacy.
Other Santa Barbara residents on online forums say that Meghan and Harry don’t fit Santa Barbara, and have turned a “cold shoulder” to them. However, paparazzi and excitement always follows the occasional Meghan and Harry sighting.
Despite pushback, Megan and Harry have undoubtedly adapted to the Santa Barbara lifestyle. On social media, Meghan has shared videos of Harry surfing.
The Santa Barbara mountains were the backdrop of Meghan’s 2025 Netflix series “With Love, Meghan.” Centering hosting, cooking and gardening, the show was filmed in a Montecito farmhouse estate. Meghan took international audiences to Santa Barbara county’s lemon and avocado orchards, as well as Santa Barbara Harbor for sea urchins.
The family will maintain ownership of their Montecito home, as reported by Yahoo News.
