The Duke and Duchess of Sussex share a beautiful home in Montecito and while it couldn't be further from Kensington Palace where Prince Harry grew up, Meghan is a Californian through and through.
The former Suits actress, 43, was raised by her mother, Doria Ragland, who inherited a charming home situated in the View Park–Windsor Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles when her father passed away in 2011.
Exterior shots of the property show it has a clay roof, lime green exterior, bay window, and palm trees down each side of the front walkway.
© AlamyMeghan's family home also features a characterful front garden, which is so different from the backyard at the home she shares with Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
© Getty"Her Montecito home features more expansive, curated lawns and rose gardens with a traditional yet relaxed aesthetic," Kunal Trehan, interior designer and founder of Touched Interiors, tells us.
© Getty"This space feels looser, wilder, and more rooted in its climate, reflecting informality and environmental sensitivity." The designer also points out that the garden is a stark contrast from the gardens surrounding royal residences that Harry is used to.
© Getty"Royal gardens tend to be formal, symmetrical, and tightly manicured," he says. The garden at Kensington Palace covers 265 acres, including the Sunken Garden, which was modelled on the Pond Garden at Hampton Court Palace and uses natural materials, herbaceous planting on terraces, and ornamental water features. The space also features a wildflower meadow.
© Meghan markleDoria's garden has an eccentricity that is highly appealing. "The mix of textures, sculptural plants and layered desert greenery, framed by terracotta roofing and Spanish-style architecture, creates rich visual depth and a strong sense of place," Kunal explains.
© Instagram"Front gardens offer a canvas for personal style. Here, it blends drought-tolerant planting with Californian-Mediterranean charm, reflecting environmental awareness and individuality."
Where did Meghan Markle grow up?
The Spanish-style home Doria inherited was markedly different from Meghan's first childhood home on Providencia Street in Woodland Hills, California. As of 2021, this property featured a more manicured front garden with a pristine lawn.
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The royal resided there until the age of two, when her mother split from her father, Thomas Markle. After her parents' divorce, Meghan moved into a top-floor apartment with her mother on South Cloverdale Avenue in the Mid-Wilshire neighbourhood.
