Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a few well known faces as their neighbours in California neighbourhood Montecito. As well as the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Cameron Diaz and Hollywood actress Sharon Stone is also nearby to the former royal couple.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been in the spotlight over the past few days, after an article in Vanity Fair claimed that Meghan had been “awful” to staff when things were not going her way.
The magazine’s article, which was published under the headline ‘American Hustle’ on January 17, gave an in-depth account of the Sussexes’ lives over the past five years since relocating to the US.
Staff members working with Meghan reportedly ended up seeking therapy due to allegations of bullying by Meghan, which she has vehemently denied.
The magazine cited two anonymous sources, claiming that one colleague took a leave of absence after working on ‘Archetypes’ – Meghan’s Spotify podcast which explored female stereotypes – before it was mutually agreed to cancel the series and eventually left altogether.
Others were said to have taken “extended breaks from work to escape scrutiny, exiting their job, or undergoing long-term therapy after working with Meghan”.
Meghan was also accused of being “really, really awful” towards members of the royal household, despite initially being “warm and effusive” when she married into the House of Windsor in the article, as reports the Mirror.
It was claimed that as relations between Harry, Meghan and the rest of the royals deteriorated, the former Suits actress became “cold and withholding toward the person she perceived to be responsible” when things went wrong.
According to a source, Meghan would yell at staff, without raising her voice on “any given Tuesday”.
The outlet also claims that since moving to Montecito in Santa Barbara County, the couple have become known as “the prince and the starlet” and have been branded the “local villains”, enticing people who are not from the area to visit the town. So much so, that walk in bookings at a popular steakhouse have become almost impossible.
The couple were also blasted by sources as “entitled” and “disingenuous”.
According to The Times, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have denied the allegations with those close to them describing them as ‘distressing’.
But it seems they have one supporter in their local community, as comments from Basic Instinct actress Sharon Stone resurfaced.
Speaking in 2020, she said: “The thing about them, which is so great, is that they didn’t come here to live off of our community, they came here to be a part of our community.
“They’re a part of our community, they become a part, a giving, caring, participating part of our community. They’re not here, like ‘Would you like to kiss my butt?'”.
The Vanity Fair article also branded Prince Harry a “hapless if well-meaning man” who is said to have considered interviewing sociopaths including Vladimir Putin.
According to the Times, Harry and Meghan have dismissed the allegations with a source close to the pair saying: “Things aren’t easy for them right now. Vanity Fair have succeeded in making a bad time worse”.
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