‘She doesn’t go out or get involved with the community’: Meghan Markle blasted by neighbor over preference to socialize with Hollywood elites than with average locals

Prince Harry may have firmly planted his feet in Montecito, but not all locals are rolling out the red carpet for him and his wife, Meghan Markle. While the royal couple is nestled comfortably in their $14 million, nine-bedroom mansion in the wealthy town, the Duchess of Sussex seems to have a propensity for favoring Hollywood elites over their nearby neighbors.

As such, A-list neighbors like Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry may have so many good things to say about the Sussexes, but some Montecito residents closer to the ground have a less favorable view of them. Some claim Markle intentionally keeps her distance from the community, unlike Harry, who has at least been spotted biking around town, albeit with a security entourage.

One neighbor named Richard Mineards recently pulled no punches when asked to describe Markle’s approach to life in the star-studded enclave. “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,” he reportedly said when interviewed for the new German documentary Harry: The Lost Prince, according to the Daily Mail.

Although Mineards admitted Prince Harry seems a bit more approachable, even calling him “quite jolly,” he added, “Meghan doesn’t seem to get seen anywhere…. And you don’t see him either.”

The royal couple has reportedly embraced a lifestyle more aligned with Hollywood royalty than the typical Montecito vibe. Rumors of their plans to send Archie, 5, and Lilibet, 3, to a prestigious private school have raised eyebrows, with locals questioning if the couple will ever fully integrate into the community.

This isn’t the first time Markle has faced criticism from her California neighbors. In July 2023, 88-year-old Navy veteran Frank McGinity shared his own brush-off experience. When the couple first moved in, McGinity tried to welcome them with a gesture of goodwill — showing them the films he made about the history of their neighborhood.

However, instead of a warm reception, he was greeted with cold indifference by the pair. “Harry and Meghan live on old McCormick property and I went up to their gate with the films on a CD, but they weren’t interested,” McGinity indicated in his memoir Get Off Your Street. A man at the gate “wouldn’t take the film, just saying, ‘They’re not interested.’ I was trying to be neighborly,” according to him.

The veteran also seemingly echoed Mineards’ sentiment when he wrote, “We don’t see them very much around here.” Further commenting on the oddity of the Sussexes choosing Montecito, a community known for its quiet, older demographic, McGinity noted, “It’s surprising they came here. People are typically older. It’s where the elephants come to die.”

While Markle has been a no-show in neighborhood activities, she’s been spotted mingling with Hollywood elites. She’s reportedly close with Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, and other stars in the area.

Despite Prince Harry’s attempts to fully embrace the Montecito life, Markle’s preference for rubbing elbows with Hollywood A-listers over her regular neighbors has stirred frustration. Whether they’ll ever win over the locals remains to be seen — but for now, longtime residents seem far from enchanted with their royal neighbors.