Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have started 2025 with a flourish, ahead of some pivotal weeks. On New Year’s Day, Meghan made a dazzling return to Instagram, posting for the first time in five years and revealing the release date for her new cooking show, With Love, Meghan.
The eight-part series will debut on Netflix on January 15, and the trailer is already generating excitement. Meanwhile, Harry is anticipated to return to the UK soon for his ongoing legal fight.
Despite the forthcoming challenges, the couple appears to have received an unexpected financial boost. Data indicates that the value of their Californian mansion has doubled since they bought it in 2020.
The sprawling nine-bedroom house in Montecito was purchased for $14.6million when they left the UK. However, new estimates from property website Zillow suggest that the home could now be worth over $29million, meaning the property’s value has increased by a staggering $14.5million, reports the Mirror US.
California has seen a significant spike in property prices, with Hannah Jones, a senior economic research analyst for Realtor.com, telling Newsweek that the average house price in the state has soared by 29.7 per cent over the past five years. In the exclusive Montecito area, this figure is even more pronounced at 47.3 per cent.
Contrary to speculation, Meghan’s new series did not offer a glimpse into her and Harry’s home; instead, ‘With Love, Meghan’ was filmed at a $6 million residence nearby, according to Daily Mail. The Cipolla home is nestled within eight acres of verdant lemon and avocado groves and features a four-bedroom, four-bathroom design epitomising the American dream, with pristine white walls and sharp lines.
The kitchen is a chef’s paradise, boasting Caesarstone countertops, a spacious island, cream cabinetry, and a high-end Thermador stove. Meghan was reportedly cooking with luxurious Le Creuset cookware.
Outside, there’s a vegetable garden teeming with fresh produce. The show’s promotional material enthuses: “This inspiring series, produced by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-tos and candid conversation with friends, new and old.”
Meghan shared an insight into her new Netflix series with a personal touch, saying: “Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected. She and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen, the garden, and beyond, and invite you to do the same.”
The Duchess of Sussex is set to shine a light on creating beautiful moments in everyday life alongside celebrity guests such as Mindy Kaling, Abigail Spencer, Roy Choi, and Alice Waters in her new Netflix production. Her venture, Archewell Productions, which she co-founded with Prince Harry, proudly presents the 33-minute episode format she also executive produced.
Revealing her excitement about the project on Instagram, Meghan shared: “I have been so excited to share this with you! I hope you love the show as much as I loved making it. Wishing you all a fantastic new year! Thanks to our amazing crew and the team @netflix. Beyond grateful for the support – and fun!”.
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