Are Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Moving to LA? Duchess Allegedly 'Sick' of 4-Hour Commute as She Eyes New Hollywood Base

Meghan Markle is reportedly pushing for a move closer to Los Angeles, with sources claiming the duchess wants a new California base after growing 'sick' of the four-hour round-trip drive from the couple's Montecito mansion to Hollywood meetings. The 44-year-old As Ever founder is said to believe that a home nearer LA would boost her and Prince Harry's chances of success in the entertainment industry, according to a report by Star Magazine.

For context, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry bought their £11.6 million (around $14.65 million) Montecito property in 2020, shortly after stepping back from royal duties and relocating to the United States. The sprawling estate in the wealthy Santa Barbara County enclave has been presented as their sanctuary, far from both the British tabloids and the LA hustle Meghan once knew as an actor on Suits. Now, though, that sanctuary appears to be at odds with the couple's ambitions in Hollywood, particularly following the end of their high-profile deal with Netflix.

Meghan Markle And The Hollywood Distance Problem

According to the unnamed insider quoted by Star Magazine, Meghan has become increasingly frustrated by the geography of their new life. Montecito is around 90 minutes to two hours from central Los Angeles, depending on traffic, and the source claims she is tired of watching her day disappear on the motorway.

'Meghan's decided that being closer to Los Angeles will make life easier,' the source allegedly told the outlet, adding that she is 'sick of having to lose 4 hours of her day in the car when she has meetings or appointments.'

The same source paints a picture of a woman who no longer feels entirely at home in the couple's adopted enclave. Montecito is famously popular with ultra-wealthy part-time residents, but that can mean empty streets rather than flourishing connections. The insider describes the area as 'more of a vacation spot for power players,' claiming many of the Sussexes' neighbours 'leave their home empty most of the year so it's not like there are many chances to schmooze.'

On top of that, the report alleges that local chatter about the couple has not always been kind. Meghan is said to be acutely aware that 'neighbours continue to trash-talk them,' something that apparently does little to make her feel welcome. None of these claims have been independently verified, and neither Meghan nor Harry has publicly commented on relations with their Montecito community, so they should be treated with caution.

What is notable, however, is the timing. The suggestion that the couple are 'too cut off from the social scene in Hollywood' lands just as they try to reassert themselves in the entertainment landscape after parting ways with Netflix. In the highly networked world of LA, where meetings bleed into dinners and casual introductions can turn into multi-million-pound deals, a physical remove can start to feel like a professional handicap.

The source insists Meghan 'wants to be much more tapped in because that's when the deals really happen.' It is an argument that would be familiar to anyone in the industry. You cannot, as the old line goes, do lunch over Zoom forever.

A Second Home, Or A Full Meghan Markle Relocation?

If the report is accurate, Meghan's preferred solution is simple, if not necessarily straightforward. She would 'love to get a second place in Brentwood or Bel Air like a lot of her friends have,' the source said, referencing two of LA's most established, discreetly wealthy neighbourhoods. It is the sort of set-up that has long appealed to American A-listers: one home near the beach, another tucked into the hills closer to studios, restaurants and agency offices.

Yet the same insider claims money is a serious constraint. The couple are allegedly 'not in the financial position to run two massive households,' a striking admission given the public perception of the Sussexes as hugely wealthy. Without hard figures from the pair themselves, it is impossible to know precisely what 'not in the financial position' really means. Still, it suggests that even royal-adjacent celebrity has its limits in California's high-end property market.

Meghan, portrayed as the pragmatist in this scenario, is said to be willing to compromise. If Harry is determined to hang on to the ocean air he has grown used to in Santa Barbara County, she is 'open to Malibu,' which offers both beach life and a short hop into town. She is also reportedly 'even saying Calabasas could be a great fit,' with one extra lure noted by the source: 'not least because they could live in the same neighborhood as Kris Jenner.'

For now, there is no confirmation from the Sussex camp that a move from Montecito is on the cards, let alone that specific neighbourhoods such as Brentwood, Bel Air, Malibu or Calabasas are being seriously considered. All details stem from a single unnamed source quoted by Star Magazine, so every claim should be taken with a grain of salt until Meghan Markle or Prince Harry address the speculation directly.