Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Reportedly Looking For New Home

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may be moving out of Montecito, California, according to a report.

The Santa Barbara News-Press reported Friday that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are "interested" in "a very private estate" in the affluent private community of Hope Ranch in Santa Barbara, California. International Business Times could not independently verify the report.

Prince Harry and Markle have been hunting for a new place as their current home no longer "properly accommodate[s]" them, the outlet claimed.

The outlet is unclear whether the duke and duchess have already purchased a new place there or are just looking.

Prince Harry and Markle have not announced any plans to leave their $14.7 million estate in Montecito, but reports that they are interested in purchasing a new home in California have surfaced as early as January.

Hope Ranch is a private community about 10 miles away from Montecito, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved in March 2020 with their son, Archie, now 3. Since living in California, the pair have gone on to welcome daughter Lilibet, 1.

The community "consists of a broad flat mesa and low rolling knolls broken by a magnificent valley and covered with splendid live oaks, according to its website. It boasts views of the Santa Ynez range, the famous Old Mission Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara channel, the Channel Islands and the Pacific ocean.

The neighborhood has several upscale amenities, including a members-only country club, a golf club, tennis courts, picnic grounds and a network of equestrian trails, according to the Daily Mail.

Homes in the area can reportedly cost as much as $22 million.

The report comes two months after news broke that Prince Harry and Markle suffered two security breaches in their Montecito mansion within a two-week period in May.

Santa Barbara police records obtained by the Sun showed that one report of feared intruders came on May 19 and another came on May 31. The records reportedly showed that there have been six security alerts at their home in the last 14 months.

In April last year, it was reported that police had been called to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's mansion nine times within as many months over security concerns.

During their interview with Oprah Winfrey for CBS in March 2021, Prince Harry and Markle talked about their safety being at risk after the royal family removed their personal protection officers following their decision to step back from royal duties.

"I was born into this position. I inherited the risk. So that was a shock to me," Prince Harry said at the time.

Prince Harry has since launched legal action in the U.K. to demand the right to police protection if he travels to his former home country.

Prince Harry's biographer Angela Levin slammed his move in July, telling the Sun, "Maybe Harry should concentrate more on the security in California rather than making complaints about his security in Britain. After two intruder alerts in 12 days, surely he should be making the protection of his family in the U.S. his priority."