Montecito, CA is bracing for impact.
Some residents of the quiet beachside town outside Santa Barbara are less than thrilled about their new neighbors, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Though the town is no stranger to A-list residents and visitors, it’s also apparently become famous as a no-paparazzi zone, writes TMZ.
Related: Gay former British soldier says Prince Harry protected him from homophobic abuse
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
The royal couple moved into a multi-million dollar mansion and that unofficial no-pap rule seems to have blown out the window. Neighbors report seeing paparazzi everywhere searching for shots, and helicopters buzzing around the neighborhood constantly.
Their arrival has also brought an increase of tourism with them, which we imagine is good news if you’re a small business owner struggling under the pandemic, and bad news if you’re a crotchety millionaire resident.
Related: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle become first British royals to publicly celebrate Pride
And speaking of the pandemic, those same annoyed locals are worried things will only get more hectic after the threat of Covid comes to a close.
Something about the world’s tiniest violin comes to mind.
rbernard
The weather Montecito, CA is perfect and the locally grown avocados, not to be missed.
dhmonarch89
it’s the British press…the Americans don’t really care and the Brits are insatiable- much worse than the American paps.
controversial2019
I would disagree.
I feel like since the move to Canada/America, our British paparazzi have lost interest in them and would not be the cause of any new/renewed interest in the area.
We British, as a people, don’t like people to turn their backs on us. And when they do, it’s essentially like “they are dead to us”. The Sussexes turned their backs on us so we no longer have any love or care for them. Certainly not enough to stalk them for photos.
Tom Cruising
The Brits washed their hands of Harry & Enabler as soon as Meghan screamed ‘victim’. They’ve rendered themselves irrelevant. We already knew Harry was the dunce of the family, but falling for the flounce of a c-list chancer. Sheeesh.
Cam
@controversial2019
@Tom Cruising
Really? That’s funny because even this month, I clicked on a random day in August and here is the cover of the London Daily Mail. (Spaces included so Queerty won’t screen out the link).
It’s all about Meghan and Harry’s house in Montecito. So……there’s that.
https:// http: //www .thepaperboy. com/uk/daily-mail/front-pages-today.cfm?frontpage=60818
frankcar1965
STFU controversial2019, They’re all over the British press, just take a look and see that the toothless Brits are seething and obsessed. The British press has always been like a bunch of vultures on a blood bath. Give it a break.
Kangol2
@controversial2019 & @Tom Cruising, the US turned its back on Britain with a two wars, and the UK can’t get enough of its rebellious former colony!
The British press do seem to hound the Sussexes, though. A lot. They really hate the Duchess, though she sells papers. Maybe that’s the point.
Cam
Drew Barrymore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Patrick Stewart, Rob Lowe, Al Gore, Oprah Winfrey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Carol Burnett, etc. all live there.
I’m sure they’ve seen some paparazzi before.
richardNobbs
Yes, this is just a another way of trying to blame these two for something. It is the British press, remember they had to move house in England because of drones, and TMZ is trying to cash in with the tone. It is not their fault and they live in a place with lots of famous people who’ve had to cope with something like this.
This sounds like a photographer talked to one grumpy neighbor and reported that and now we have a media story. The British press is bitter they can’t make money off them as before this is a pathetic attempt to generate a story where there is none.
Sad.
jkb
Good. I’m poor and pissed.
justgeo
Why worry about Megan she is just such a C(*T. Hate-full self absorbed bitch who did it all to be a Queen of????????? TRUMP LAND??
Cam
Yeah, nothing to do with race here? (Eye Roll)
Essie
I had a feeling the good citizens of Montecito were going to lose their minds when these two losers moved in on them. Didn’t have to wait long!!! Now, all they need is another mudslide. One disaster after another.
richardNobbs
Don’t you have positive things to do with your life? What a waste it is to hate people you will never ever meet. Sad.
Ginger Tom
They would be a lot more pissed if the newcomers were not A – listers. Let’s make that Triple A. Are you telling me the likes of Oprah Winfrey are disappointed? They may bitch about Harry and Meghan but boy do they love having them as neighbours!
Roy Moss
Both Harry and Megan would run the streets naked from dusk until dawn to get attention if the attention was only coming from the fawning sycophants in the press who only printed how fabulous they are. They don’t like it when anyone in the press calls them out for what they are, spoiled and entitled. If they really wanted to lead a quiet life not hounded by the press, would they have moved to LA? Not bloody likely.
Cam
Translation: The British papers ran a story on how Kate was taking care of herself during pregnancy by eating “Healthy” avacado toast. Then they attack Meghan for eating it while pregnat calling her stuck up.
They talked about what a great mother Kate was because she touched her belly a lot. Then they attacked Meghan as wanting attention for……touching her belly while pregnant.
Again, the rage in your post kinda gives away your agenda.
jdr11201
Weren’t they living in Canada somewhere, these kids using up royal millions. Next they’ll move to Sausalito, CA or maybe Palos verdes, CA. I feel bad for Harry, I believe he’s regretting ever leaving the UK …?
Kangol2
The Sussexes should have a nice home in southern California (Montecito), a beautiful condo in New York City (which is getting a bit hidebound these days but it’ll be back), and a well-appointed estate in the Hamptons (rather than Connecticut, which is a bit more conservative).
New Yorkers (and the mega-estates in New Jersey) would take quite well to a real Prince-Duke and his wife, and have less of an issue with the interracial marriage, etc. They just need to find a regular source of cash. Megan needs a regular TV post and Harry needs a well-paying sinecure. I’m sure some super-rich Californians and New Yorkers could find something for both of them.
just me
and why is that on “queerty”?
controversial2019
@Cam
Why do you feel that people can’t dislike Meghan without it being an issue of race? Does it not say more about your thoughts and your mind that you automatically go to “race” if someone dares to dislike her?
The reason I dislike her has nothing to do with race.
It’s because whether you like it or not, you know that being an A-Lister is going to come with media attention. Is it right? Maybe not. Should celebrities have more privacy? Definitely. But when you marry a Prince, when you have a Royal baby, there’s going to be interest. From both the subjects of the country (many of us did tune into the wedding because, at that point, we had no issue with her and it was wonderful to watch) and the media. So don’t then cry about (or try and sue!) the media when they dare to print stories about you – that’s just ridiculous.
It was the same when that French paper was taken to court by the Cambridges because they took a snap of Kate sunbathing (topless). Are topless photos a tacky way to sell papers? Sure. But do hundreds of celebrities get papped topless at the beach or on their decks every year without crying about it and/or going to court? Yes. So I was deeply annoyed with Kate for making such a big deal about that too.
So perhaps some people just dislike it when celebrities, specifically Royals, expect different treatment to every other celebrity. Perhaps for some people (not all – there certainly ARE those who b*tch about her due to racism), it has nothing to do with race.
Cam
@controversial2019
Except that most Americans only followed this story peripherally, however a troll account trying to push the racist narrative that the British papers going after Markel were following would absolutely have a really long, detailed reason for why it supposedly hated the ONE royal that just HAPPENS to not be white.
You’re about as subtle as those British papers that praised Kate for eating avocado toast and attacked Meghan for doing the exact same thing.
You aren’t slick, you aren’t clever, and your act is tired.
But by all means, switch your screename and come back and call me names. That’s always a good time. 🙂
barryaksarben
I have never seen a single post that had a valid reason for the vitriol laid on Meghan. Her and her busband seem to be very much in love and I bet his hatred of the paps is the MAIN reason they left after Archie was conceived. She is a strong woman who made a life for herself and the ONLY reason to have any kind of a strong feeling for her is racism. You dont see the hatred towards Kate who is a commoner and seems a bit stuckup. WIlliam will be KIng and so why is it so important to people who Harry married. IT is typical race hatred which not only the British perfected but that the hatefilled racists of America embrace daily when they decry the protesters and do not in anyway acknowledge the police MURDERS. Many of the dead are totally innocent and the right and the racists scream about them resisting arrest like white people never resist and yet arent murdered. ANd so many of these crimes are traffic violations over which no one should be executed for. Hating Meghan is racist period
rocknstan
The couple would have been better off in the real French Riviera.
stuffedpuppy
This will sound difficult to believe but I only realized after the Royal wedding that Meghan was ‘not white’. Sure, I don’t follow Royalty religiously (sigh) but on what re*****d planet would people even make a case about an interracial ’Royal Marriage’. Right, only in England the only country more racist than the USA…
However, I wish the couple love, happiness and good fortune away from the cheesy Windsor utopia. Good for Meghan!
Oh, should I worry, I happen to like avocado sandwiches (soon to graduate to toasts).
stuffedpuppy
Addendum:
I’m not saying it’s more difficult to be black in England…it’s just more difficult to…well…a little tan.