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Meghan Markle reportedly has a detailed list of requirements for the family’s future British residence following the Sussexes’ move from California to the English countryside.
Harry and Meghan arrived in the UK last week after spending six years in the United States, ahead of their children’s new school term and what has been described as an “extended stay” in Britain.
Sources close to the couple claim Meghan already has a clear idea of what she wants from their permanent home, including a property with nine bedrooms. That would match the number of bedrooms at the Sussexes’ $15 million Montecito mansion in California.
After landing at Birmingham Airport on Wednesday, the family reportedly left in a convoy of blacked-out SUVs and travelled to the home of a family friend near the Cotswolds. They are believed to be staying there temporarily while searching for a more permanent property of their own.
According to a source who spoke to the Daily Mail, Harry and Meghan have drawn up a particularly detailed list of requirements for their future UK residence. Meghan is reportedly looking for a property with nine bedrooms as well as its own film studio, while Harry is said to want “a lot, and I mean a lot, of land, and no footpaths going across it to protect their privacy.”
Despite speculation that the Sussexes have already secured a £12 million property, three separate sources have reportedly insisted that no agreement has yet been finalised.
Although Harry and Meghan stepped away from their roles as working royals and some of their major production partnerships have since cooled, finances are reportedly not restricting their search. The couple are said to be working with a “gargantuan budget” as they look for the right property.
The Sussexes are also expected to retain their Montecito mansion, meaning they could soon have three homes. Alongside their California residence, the couple reportedly own a £6.2 million holiday property in Portugal and are now searching for a permanent base in Britain.
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The Sussexes’ relocation has also sparked speculation in California about the future of their Montecito mansion. A source familiar with Santa Barbara’s luxury property market claimed there “have been rumblings” that Harry and Meghan could discreetly sell the estate, adding that “every broker wants that listing.”
Douglas Elliman broker Jason Streatfeild said he has “a strong feeling that it’s already being discussed and shown,” explaining that high-profile properties of this kind are often sold privately rather than publicly listed. He added: “many times properties like this will trade off-market with a nondisclosure agreement signed and all of the terms sealed until the property records at the county.”
Meanwhile, Meghan is reportedly hoping to include a film studio in the couple’s future British home, allowing her to create material for her As Ever brand from the UK, despite the company not currently shipping its products there.
One source claimed she “won’t be able to resist building a film studio at their new home” and predicted that she will eventually begin “home making content” once the family has settled into their new surroundings, adding that “that is the heart of who she is.”
Harry, meanwhile, is reportedly looking for a home that complements the lifestyle he hopes to provide for Archie and Lilibet. He is believed to favour an “outdoorsy and sporting ethos” for their education, making a spacious property with extensive land particularly important to him.
