Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Converting Montecito Guest House

published 23 August 2020

One of the first projects Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have undertaken at their new home in Montecito, California is to convert one of the houses guesthouses into a space for Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland.
As early as this spring, it was reported that Harry and Meghan wanted Doria to move in with them full-time.
Meghan and Harry have reportedly also spent time getting to know their new neighbors and feel safe and comfortable in the neighborhood.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are settling into their new home in Montecito, a community in Santa Barbara, about an hour north of Los Angeles.

As they work to make the $14.65 million house into a true forever home, one of the first projects has apparently been to create a special space just for Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland.

“They’re converting one of the guesthouses into a home for Doria, who plans to split her time between L.A. and Montecito,” a source close to the couple told Us Weekly

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This move doesn't come as a surprise to royal fans, of course, since it's been reported for months now that Harry and Meghan wanted Doria to move in with them.

"Once quarantine and lockdown are over, Harry and Meghan will be moving into their new pad—and they want Doria to be included in these plans," a source close to the couple told The Sun in May. "She is hugely independent though, and doesn’t want to be in their space. She will have her own granny annexe."

Since moving in to the new house, Harry and Meghan have taken time to get to know their neighbors and, apparently, they're happy with the people surrounding them.

“They’ve already met some of their neighbors, like Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry, who are locals,” the Us Weekly source explained. "Orlando voicing Prince Harry in [the HBO Max comedy series] The Prince has become an inside joke between them. If you’re going to shadow someone, it may as well be the real deal! And there’s obviously Ellen [DeGeneres], who Meghan knows from way back."

The neighborhood also includes some less famous families, but that's actually part of the appeal for the Sussexes, apparently.

"Many of their new neighbors are CEOs and financiers and their families. They’re not the type of people to sell them out," the source aded. "Harry and Meghan finally feel happy, safe and home!"

Meghan Markle's Most Iconic Fashion Moments

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commonwealth day service 2020 — (Image credit: Karwai Tang)

March 9, 2020

Meghan and Prince Harry attend the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey with all of the royal family. Meghan is wearing a custom Emilia Wickstead dress and carrying a Gabriela Hearst Demi bag; she's also wearing Birks earrings and Aquazzura heels.

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Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.