‘Doesn't fit in': Neighbour lift lid on Meghan Markle

News.com.au

2 days ago

Meghan Markle's bitter neighbour has claimed that she doesn't 'fit in' with the Montecito crowd — but her husband, Prince Harry, is more 'approachable.'
Richard Mineards recalled the Duchess of Sussex allegedly turning away a local elderly historian who wanted to give her a copy of his documentary about the ritzy Calififorna area when the couple first moved in, Page Six reports.
'The old man never got past the gate,' Mr Mineards alleged to the Daily Mail.
He explained that the alleged incident with the historian is an example of how Meghan has become 'distant' from her community.
The local resident claimed that the former 'Suits' actress', 43, has cultivated a 'very controlled image.'
'She pays attention to every appearance, every word, every gesture,' Mr Mineards said.
'And here in Montecito, we appreciate simple people, even famous ones.'
Mr Mineads pointed out that Meghan's pal and neighbour, Oprah Winfrey, has attended community charity events, but that the 'With Love, Meghan' host has yet to show up in the same way.
'Meghan doesn't play the community game,' he claimed.
Meghan has allegedly 'never tried to fit in' with the inhabitants of the Santa Barbara County town.
On the flip side, Mr Mineards praised Harry, 40, as being warm and welcoming with the locals.
'He is always charming, approachable, with that very recognisable Windsor accent. He smiles, shakes hands, willingly exchanges a few words,' he said.
'We've seen him at the beach, in an organic coffee shop, or cycling in the hills.'
Mr Mineards described the Duke of Sussex as 'less in control' than his wife.
'Harry has kept his good-natured side. We feel that he is more at ease here, even with his personal struggles,' he said.
'Meghan, on the other hand, is practically invisible,' Mineards continued.
'She's there, of course, but she shows herself very little. Her relationship with Montecito is … distant, shall we say.'
Contrary to Mr Mineards' claims, Beverly Hills resident Sharon Stone praised the royal couple as being excellent neighbours.
'You know, the thing about them that is so great is they didn't come here to live off of our community, they came here to be a part of our community,' the 'Quick and the Dead' actress told Access Hollywood.
'My friend said she was sitting in her car and they bicycled across the street and waved at her while she was sitting at the red light.
Meghan and Harry moved into their sprawling $US14.65 million ($A20.9 million) — where they currently reside with their two kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in 2020 — after they stepped back from their royal roles.
Two years later, reports surfaced that her neighbours dubbed Meghan the 'Princess of Montecito.'
The 'As Ever' founder has spent much of her time hanging with her A-list neighbours like Winfrey, Gayle King and Ellen DeGeneres, who recently moved across the pond after President Trump began his second term.