It’s no palace, but it’s certainly close!
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are setting the bar rather high with their newly purchased starter home in Santa Barbara County, just two hours north of the Los Angeles estate graciously loaned to them for the last several months by Tyler Perry.
Related: Meghan Markle And Prince Harry File New Privacy Lawsuit Over Photos Of Archie
As you’ll recall, a rep for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed to multiple outlets this week:
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved into their family home in July of this year. They have settled into the quiet privacy of their community since their arrival and hope that this will be respected for their neighbors, as well as for them as a family.”
According to Variety, the couple purchased the 7.4-acre Montecito compound for a whopping $14.65 million, taking out a $9.5 million mortgage to secure the property. Their new home is tucked away on a private, gated street, though the area is filled with some of the most famous names in the biz, including Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Ellen DeGeneres.
However, their name does not actually appear on grant deeds related to the property! Records show that the estate was purchased by a mysterious trust in mid-June, with the mailing address listed as the office of Meg’s longtime business manager. It’s unclear why, but it could be something to do with their royal standing. Although $14.65 million is a HUGE number, it’s actually somewhat of a steal for this property. Built in 2003, the mansion was acquired by low-profile Russian businessman Sergey Grishin in 2009 for $25.3 million, but had numerous failed selling attempts over the last decade up until this point.
The main house is spacious, complete with a gym, elevator, game room, home theater, library, separate wet and dry saunas, and arcade. But of course, there’s plenty more on the property! A detached guesthouse is ready for royal visitors, with two bedrooms and bathrooms. In total, the estate has nearly 19,000 square feet of total living space, nine bedrooms, and 16 bathrooms.
In short, that means there’s plenty of room for 15-month-old Archie Harrison to explore and for their family to potentially grow down the line. Outdoor amenities include a built-in children’s playset, lap-lane swimming pool, and full-size tennis court. Older listings specify the compound also features a “tea house,” “children’s cottage,” and manicured grounds which include century-old olive trees, tiered rose gardens, and tall Italian cypress trees.
Scratch what we said earlier, this actually sounds JUST like a palace. See all the photos HERE! What do U think of Harry and Meghan’s new pad, y’all?? Let us know (below) in the comments.
[Image via WENN.]