One of California’s wealthiest areas might be about to welcome controversy-magnets Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The two are apparently trading in their $14.5m (£11.4m) Montecito home – complete with nine bedrooms,16 bathrooms, a library, gym, wet and dry saunas, an elevator, arcade, game room, and home theatre, as well as a detached two-bedroom guest house – for the posher, more exclusive Santa Barbara community ten miles away.
The move comes after the family of four, which includes three-year-old Archie and one-year-old Lilibet, have faced multiple break-in attempts at their current home. Most recently, the police alerted them to two intruders at their house during a 12-day span in May – one of which was just hours before the pair were to take a private jet to Britain for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Still, the decision won’t come cheap. The average home price in the area is US$5.3m as of September 2022, according to realtor.com, with many properties fetching far higher prices. For example, on Sotherby’s Realty there are currently three properties listed between $18-22.5 million, with one featuring 6 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, chef’s kitchen, wine room, wellness center with spa, sauna, steam room and theater room and is further enhanced by a detached guest house all located on a gated 1.5+/- acres
Known for having reserved residents (the main stretch of road through Hope Ranch is Las Palmas/Marina Drive is off-limits to the public), the community has already made their feelings towards their new A list neighbours apparent.
One resident told TMZ: “Nobody in Hope Ranch holds any ill will towards the Sussexes, but the fact is, many fear they’re going to bring a circus to their quiet, super-private ‘burb since they’re so famous and controversial. While another homeowner in the area shared a similar sentiment, quipping that locals aren’t looking forward to becoming ‘Netflix extras’, adding that, “We do have some celebrities but they’re the type to hide away from the cameras instead of going looking for them.”
As the royal couple prepare for their potential move, we go inside the ultra exclusive Hope Ranch community.
The history of Hope Ranch
The area was once owned entirely by 1800s-era rancher Thomas W. Hope, who purchased the land in 1861 for sheep ranching. However in 1923 Hope Ranch was developed residentially by Harold S. Chase, with the first houses constructed being "Las Terrasas" built in 1925 as a home for Chase. In 1963 Chase even wrote the book, "Hope Ranch - a rambling record" to tell the story of the Ranch’s evolution after guiding its development over 40 years.
Nestled between the Santa Ynez mountains and Pacific coastline, it’s now become a sanctuary for affulent Californians. There are now roughly 2,200 residents, with approximately 30 sales each year and only seven plots of land yet to be developed.
The area offers an array of recreational options and community gatherings, such as the popular annual family beach camp-out each summer, to unify the neighborhood and encourage residents to take advantage of the region’s average 250+ sunny days. Helpful, especially considering residents on reddit have warned potential newcomers that area can get lonely. “It’s not really walkable, and the houses are separated on large, private properties. So you don’t interact much with your surroundings except to the places you choose to drive,” said resident Gregor Samsanite on the forum.
The amenities
La Cumbre is the definitive membership club in the region. Translating to “The Peak or The Top” in Spanish, in addition to its incomparable golf course, the club includes six championship plexi-pave tennis courts, a spacious and attractive aquatics area, a new state-of-the-art fitness center, and several outdoor spots for dining.
As for the stunning nature surrounding the region, homeowners can also enjoy over 30 miles of equestrian riding trails to accomodate the 10% of residents who own horses as well as a private beach.
For Archie and Lilbet, there’s also two schools in the area: Laguna Blanca, a not-for-profit co-educational day school and Hope Elementary School, a highly rated, public school. The former of which proudly boasts a 100% success rate of helping its graduates gain entrance into some of the world’s most selective institutions. Although a lot of the resident teens generally attend Santa Barbara High School District.
The neighbours
Of course, if it’s fit for a couple of royals, it’s also fit for the numerous celebrities who also reside in Hope Ranch. Most notably, rapper Snoop Dogg purchased a home there in November 2006, as well as the billionaire owner of Santa Barbara News Press Wendy McCaw and Tarzan actor Ron Ely.
Other past famous residents include H.R Haldeman, who was White House Chief of Staff under Richard Nixon and lived in Hope Ranch until his death in 1993 and actor Don Stewart, who lived in the private community from 1985 until his death in 2006.
