The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are living the “American dream” with their sprawling Montecito mansion complete with seven acres of stunning grounds. The royal couple have had nothing but praise for their idyllic pad, which they share with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, however, their neighbours are not of the same opinion.

Speaking in his The Royalist podcast, journalist Tom Sykes revealed: “I was in New York last week, and I was meeting with somebody who lives fairly near them, and they said to me that that house that they occupy in Montecito is like a source of laughing stock.

“It’s kind of shameful because, of course, in America, if you’re a billionaire and you buy a house for $14 million, I mean, what’s the first thing you do? Knock it down, you know, or at the very least remodel it, you know?

“And there they are, still sort of padding around in a kitchen that looks straight out of the Olive Garden, you know, circa 1994.”

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The neighbour isn’t wrong, as it is very commonplace for high-profile people like celebrities to acquire a mansion and flatten it to create their own version of perfection. We’ve seen A-list stars like Kanye West and Chris Pratt do exactly that. So, Harry and Meghan going against the grain has ruffled feathers, but that doesn’t make it wrong…

Contrastingly, in the UK, swathes of people are seeking to preserve the history of their homes, keeping original fireplaces and unearthing amazing period features. Granted, the Sussexes’ home isn’t historic, having only been built in 2003, but perhaps retaining existing structures and the intended design should be celebrated? The property has been designed to look like a rustic chateau and that aesthetic fits in perfectly with Meghan’s wholesome lifestyle brand, As Ever. 

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Plus, you could argue that choosing not to renovate extensively is a sensible thing to do financially. The couple do have their own business brand deals, but now that they are cut off from the royal family, it seems only logical that they would choose not to stretch themselves monetarily. After all, Meghan has previously admitted that she believed their beautiful mansion was unattainable at first. 

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Speaking to The Cut, Meghan reflected on their uncertain decision about even viewing the house initially. She said: “We didn’t have jobs, so we just were not going to come and see this house. It wasn’t possible. It’s like when I was younger and you’re window shopping – it’s like, I don’t want to go and look at all the things that I can’t afford. That doesn’t feel good.”

What is Harry and Meghan’s home like?

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Meghan has used three words to describe the feeling over her home and they are “joy”, “healing” and “calm”. The estate has an array of impressive features like an outdoor pool, over-water spa room, wine cellar, games room and chicken coop. During their Netflix show, fans got to see glimpses into the incredible estate, including their shared home office and rustic kitchen. The cooking space is where Meghan first crafted her now-famous jam recipe. 

Harry and Meghan’s savvy real estate move

It is worth noting that buying the property has been a major financial move for the couple, as it has significantly increased in value since they bought it. According to TMZ, the Duke and Duchess spent $14.65 million on the property, however, a Zillow estimate explains their mammoth Montecito mansion has now doubled in value and is worth $29 million.