Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's $14 million home is a 'humble cottage' compared to their neighbors, royal biographer claims

Journalist Tina Brown shared that the couple 'didn't have enough money' compared to their Montecito neighbors

Entrance to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's house
(Image credit: GettyImages)

Royal biographer Tina Brown has described Prince Harry and Megan Markle's home as a 'humble cottage' alongside their wealthy Montecito neighbors. 

The former Vanity Fair editor was responding to claims that the Sussexes were house-hunting in an area around 10 miles east of their current home – where they have lived since June 2020. 

While it is easy to label this property as one of the world's best homes, it pales in comparison to those owned by their wealthy neighbors, for example, Oprah Winfrey's Promised Land estate, worth $100m. 

Speaking at the Henley Literary Festival in Oxfordshire, England, Tina Brown shared that: 'it's not very pleasant to be a D-list celebrity who, for them, doesn't have enough money. It's a wholly different game to be with those super-rich people. In Montecito, where they live, their $14 million mansion is a humble cottage compared to what these other people have,' The Telegraph reports. 

Ariel view of Montecito

Ariel view of Montecito

(Image credit: GettyImages)

Meghan and Harry's home may be the only royal residence in Montecito, but their neighbors' properties are the most expensive in California. The most notable properties include Jaz Z and Beyoncé's mansion in Bel Air which costs $88m, and Kylie Jenner's home, worth $36.5m. Rob Lowe, Ariana Grande, and Ellen DeGeneres also call the prestigious district their home. 

Tina Brown (who was one of the last people to see Diana, Princess of Wales prior to her death) was responding to the question of whether Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are selling their Montecito home, following reports that there was a rise in local theft only last week. The couple is supposedly looking for a 'private estate' in an elite neighborhood near their current property.

'At some point, it might be more than a new house she's looking for,' she says, before adding: 'Elon Musk is still single; that's all I have to say.' 

Meghan and Harry

(Image credit: GettyImages)

According to The Telegraph, the author of The Diana Chronicles and The Palace Papers added that Duke's upcoming tell-all biography may never be published. ' 'If the book continues, I don't think there is any way for Harry to return. So my view has always been that the book won't see the light of day.'

The Sussexes are yet to comment on whether they are leaving Montecito for another home Hope Ranch area. We will let you know as soon as we hear any more information. 

Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.