Meghan Markle has given a glimpse into the $14.65million Montecito mansion she shares with Prince Harry and their two children Archie and Lilibet.
In a new interview published today with The Cut, the Duchess of Sussex, 41, shared how her home in Southern California makes her ‘feel free’ and is ‘calm and healing’.
The magazine revealed various features of the property – including the two connected palm trees in the garden, which the Duke of Sussex, 37, refers to as himself and Meghan – with even their son, three, calling ‘Hi, Momma. Hi, Papa’ whenever he passes them.
Elsewhere, it detailed Harry and Meghan’s shared office and the ‘two plush club chairs placed side by side behind a single desk, facing into the room like thrones.’
The couple’s sitting room is home to a grand piano from actor-director Tyler Perry – whose Beverly Hills mansion they first stayed in following their move from Canada – as well as a Soho House rose-water candle and cosy chairs.
‘The Montecito house is the kind of big that startles you into remembering that unimaginable wealth is actually someone’s daily reality,’ wrote Allison P. Davis.
The author compared it to a classic Tuscan villa, a Napa vineyard and a Beverly Hills country club.
Meghan revealed that both she and Prince Harry avoided visiting their current home at first – because affording it wasn’t possible since they didn’t have any jobs.
She explained that the couple didn’t want to ‘window shop’ the property – however, they eventually visited the home and fell in love with the grounds.
They had only toured the outside – which includes a chicken coop, pool and pool house – when they told the real estate agent that they wanted the home, purchasing it for $14.65 million.
‘We did everything we could to get this house,’ said Meghan. ‘Because you walk in and go… Joy. And exhale. And calm. It’s healing. You feel free.’
They have since secured Spotify and Netflix deals estimated to be worth £18million and £75million, respectively.
One of the first features of the home that Meghan and Harry saw was two palm trees, connected together at the bottom, which the Duke claimed represented the loved-up couple.
‘And now every day when Archie goes by us, he says, “Hi, Momma. Hi, Papa,”‘ explained the Duchess.
Harry also featured in the magazine interview, and briefly explained that he is in the middle of renovations for the home – fixing pipes, for example.
Meanwhile, in the couple’s sitting room, a grand piano proudly sits after Tyler Perry gifted it the couple as a housewarming present, while Soho Houses candles also feature.
Meghan explained that the founder, Nick Jones, is a friend. For their first meeting, the Duke and Duchess are said to have been set up on a blind date at Soho House’s Dean Street Townhouse.
It comes amid reports that the couple are very unlikely to visit the Queen at Balmoral when they return to Britain for a brief trip next week, a royal expert said today as he warned the ‘family rift is getting worse, not better’.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have an ongoing row about their security with the Home Office – and tensions with the Royal Family have been deepened by mounting concerns over what will be published in Harry’s upcoming biography, and Meghan making veiled criticisms of the family in her new Spotify podcast released last week.
Royal expert Phil Dampier told MailOnline today that he would be ‘very surprised’ if the Sussexes visit the Queen at Balmoral, where she is likely to remain for the next few weeks as concerns grow over her mobility issues.
He added that there is little ‘goodwill on both sides’ and that the royals will be ‘wary’ of Harry amid what could be in his book. Mr Dampier also said that a ‘visit to Scotland would create awkward family tensions for everyone’.