Harry & Meghan's California Neighbors Made Nasty Claims About The Couple's IRL Behavior

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's final days as working royals, they ended up relocating from England to California. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex live in a mansion in Montecito, an affluent area near Santa Barbara that has attracted the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Ariana Grande, and Rob Lowe. The couple seems all welcoming smiles on Meghan's Instagram page, like when they went to see Beyoncé in concert or when the former "Suits" star is out tending to their elaborate gardens. Despite the clear affluence, the vibe appears like it's trying to be one of relatability, like the Sussexes are the couple next door whom you could imagine yourself being friends with. 

But apparently, the royal defectors aren't nearly as warm and approachable as they appear, and they keep to themselves in a way that isn't entirely appreciated by their neighbors. Frank McGinity, who has property close to Meghan and Harry's house, apparently tried to stop by to give the Sussexes a copy of some videos about the history of the home in which they were living. However, McGinity was rebuffed at the gate by staff. 

The incident was recounted in his memoir, "Get Off Your Street," in which the author also noted that the celebrity couple didn't really seem to be connecting with their immediate neighbors, who were all reportedly on the older side. Meghan and Harry are parents to two young kids, and it may be that they just don't have that much in common with them. There's no way to know for sure but sadly, McGinity's experience with the Sussexes seems to match what other Montecito residents have observed about them. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex don't seem to have particularly endeared themselves to the regular denizens of Montecito. One resident described the couple to Vanity Fair as "the most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet." And writer Richard Mineards, who works for the Montecito Journal and lives in the area, admitted to the Daily Mail, "I personally don't think that Meghan is an asset to our community [...] She doesn't really go out or get involved with the community." This aloofness is seemingly a common refrain when it comes to Meghan Markle.

On the other hand, Prince Harry is apparently friendlier than his wife, but it's also been said that he's still more isolated than she is and hasn't got that close to many people in California either. It can certainly be hard to make friends as an adult, and it could be an issue of not really knowing who to trust. But it could also be because the Sussexes just aren't that interested in forming deep connections with their neighbors, despite the friendly vibe that they exude when in public or in front of the cameras. Just look at Meghan's Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan." She gives the appearance of a gracious and welcoming host, happy to invite people into her home, but that doesn't seem to be the reality.

Everyone is entitled to their privacy, and we know that how someone acts on social media and during other public appearances may not always be indicative of what they're like when no one is watching, but when it comes to Meghan and Harry, this seeming mismatch between their behavior behind the scenes compared to in front of the camera is telling.