Everything we know about Meghan and Harry's Dh54 million California home

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have moved into a sprawling Santa Barbara mansion

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, holding their son Archie, meet Archbishop Desmond Tutu (not pictured) at the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation in Cape Town, South Africa, September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville/Pool/File Photo
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have moved into a $14.6 million (Dh54m) mansion in Santa Barbara, California. The couple and Baby Archie, 1, reportedly moved into their new home six weeks ago. It is located in the suburb's gated area, Montecito.

The 18,000-square-foot property comes complete with a pool, library, wine cellar, theatre, spa, sauna, gym, games room and a play park for their son, the Daily Mail has reported. The house was built in 2003.

This is where they want to bring Archie up, where they hope he can have as normal a life as possible

It has been reported that Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland has moved in with the couple.

Previously, the family was living in Tyler Perry's $18m LA mansion. After leaving London, they temporarily relocated to Vancouver, Canada, before settling in the Duchess's native California.

When did they move to Santa Barbara? 

Tabloid, Page Six, was the first to report on the couple's new home.

A source told the website: "Harry and Meghan have been quietly living in their own home in Santa Barbara since early July. "They are not house guests of Oprah or anyone else, they bought this home themselves. This is where they want to continue their lives after leaving the UK.

P3YX4G aerial view of small town of Montecito near Santa Barbara, California, USA. Alamy
An aerial view of Montecito near Santa Barbara, California, USA. Alamy

"This is the first home either of them has ever owned. It has been a very special time for them as a couple and as a family — to have complete privacy for six weeks since they moved in.

"They intend to put down their roots in this house and the quiet community, which has considerable privacy. This is where they want to bring Archie up, where they hope he can have as normal a life as possible."

Where is the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's new California home? 

The couple's new house is located on a private road in Santa Barbara, an affluent suburb of Los Angeles. Their home is located on an estate in in Montecito, a community known for its celebrity residents.

It is one-and-a-half hours from the heart of Los Angeles, which is approximately 155 kilometres away. It is four hours south of San Francisco.

This Instagram post claims that this is the house (scroll through the gallery on the post to see more pictures):

It is located close to the Los Padres National Forest, an area of outstanding natural beauty, which offers an abundance of hiking routes, with a backdrop of mountains and streams, that will suit the nature-loving couple. Parts of the Montecito community have direct access to the range's lower foothills. In Spanish, Montecito means little mountain.

Los Padres National Forest, California, USA. Unsplash 
Los Padres National Forest, California, USA. Unsplash 

Who are the couple's celebrity neighbours? 

Santa Barbara, and Montecito specifically, is home to a host of famous names: the couple's mansion is close to homes owned by Gwyneth Paltrow, Rob Lowe, Ellen DeGeneres, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Patrick Stewart and George Lucas.

Oprah Winfrey, a friend of the couple who attended their 2018 wedding, is also a resident of the glossy suburb.

US presenter Oprah Winfrey arrives for the wedding ceremony of Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and US actress Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in Windsor, on May 19, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / POOL / Ian West
US presenter Oprah Winfrey arrives for their wedding ceremony in 2018. AFP

Who paid for the mansion?

Earlier this year, Harry and Meghan resigned from official royal duty, thus losing all of the financial benefits of the Sovereign Grant. However, the couple still has a sizeable wealth, which has allowed them to afford the multi-million-dollar home.

However, it has been reported by royal insiders that Prince Harry's father, Prince Charles, has helped them buy the home.

"Charles had been keen to help out and put his hand in his own pocket to assist," the insider told the Daily Mail. "He is devoted to both his sons and any time he can assist them he always will."

Despite taking on lucrative private speaking jobs, the couple are thought to still benefit from money earned by Prince Charles's Duchy of Cornwall private estate.

The estate consists of 53,000 hectares of land across 23 counties, mostly in the South West of England. Both Prince Harry and Prince William have earned money from the estate since their offices were established in support of the Queen.