Meghan Markle's Montecito Neighbor Slams The Duchess For Not Getting 'Involved With The Community'

A neighbor of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Montecito has shared mixed opinions about the royal couple.

According to a new report, the individual in question claimed that the Duchess of Sussex lacked community involvement while Harry is "quite jolly" but also barely involved.

This revelation comes after Prince Harry shut down rumors about him and Meghan getting divorced and stated he had no plans to leave the US.

Prince Harry And Meghan's Neighbor Claims The Couple Is Rarely Seen In Montecito

Harry and Meghan's neighbors in Santa Barbara have been vocal about their experiences living next door to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

In a German documentary titled "Harry: The Lost Prince," Richard Mineards, a resident of Montecito, shared his thoughts about the royal duo, expressing how he doesn't feel Meghan's presence in their community.

"I personally don't think that Meghan is an asset to our community," he said, per the Daily Mail. "She doesn't really go out or get involved with the community."

On the other hand, Mineards had a more favorable view of Harry, calling him "quite jolly." He, however, noted that, like his wife Meghan, Harry is also rarely seen.

Neighbor Says The Sussexes Snubbed His Gesture Of Friendship In Montecito

Mineards is not the first local resident to have expressed discontent with the royal couple.

In July 2023, Frank McGinity, an 88-year-old US Navy veteran, shared an experience where he felt snubbed by Harry and Meghan in his memoir "Get Off Your Street."

In the book, McGinity wrote that he has a "big house next to Harry and Meghan's property," and one day, he went up to their gate to give the couple a film he made on the history of the area they had moved into, "but they weren't interested."

The veteran noted that he was turned away by a man who "wouldn't take the film" and said, "They're not interested."

"I was trying to be neighborly," he recalled, per Page Six. McGinity also shared his surprise that the young couple moved to Montecito, considering that most locals were older.

"It's surprising they came here. People are typically older. It's where the elephants come to die," he remarked.

Prince Harry Reflects On Life In The US With Meghan And Their Kids

Harry recently shared that his life in the US is what his mother, Princess Diana, would have wanted for him.

In an interview at The New York Times Dealbook Summit, Harry confirmed that he plans to stay in America, enjoying the privacy and freedom it offers for raising he and Meghan's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

"I very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here," he explained, noting that the level of privacy his family has in the US is something they "undoubtedly wouldn't be able to do in the UK" due to security concerns.

Harry has been embroiled in a legal row in the UK because his security was stripped from him after he and his wife stepped down as working royals.

The Duke Of Sussex Felt 'Helpless' After His Mother's Death

Reflecting on the impact of public life on his mental health, Harry spoke about the trauma of his mother's death and how feeling helpless as a child still affects him.

"I think again, when you are kind of trapped within this bubble, it kind of feels like there's no way out," he said.

He continued: "What happened to my mum and the fact that I was a kid and felt helpless, there comes the inner turmoil. I felt helpless."

The duke revealed his biggest worry was that the same fate might befall him, his wife, or his children, but for now, his focus is on being the best husband and father he can be.

Prince Harry Brushes Aside Meghan Markle Divorce Rumor

During the interview, NYT columnist and DealBook founder Andrew Ross Sorkin asked Harry about the intense public fascination with his personal life.

Sorkin pointed out the media's focus on Harry and Meghan: "People are fascinated by everything you're doing, all the time. They're fascinated by Meghan is in California right now, and you're here."

He continued, "And there are articles left and right about, you know, 'Why are you making, doing independent events? Why aren't you doing them together?"

In his response, Harry joked, "Because you invited me, you should have known!"

The prince quickly disagreed when asked if the constant media interest was good. He mentioned how rumors about their home purchases and marriage have circulated.

"Apparently, we've bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We've apparently divorced maybe 10 or 12 times as well. So it's just like, what?" Harry wondered.

Although the Sussexes have been focusing on separate projects recently, reports claim that they have plans to spend the rest of the year together this holiday season with their kids and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland.