The Duke and Duchess
of Sussex are happily settled in the States, nearly two and a half
years after they stepped back from royal duties. They’re living their best life
in their £11million mansion in Montecito, Santa Barbara with their
two children Archie, three, and Lilibet, who turned one in June.
While Los Angeles-born Meghan
has friends in her home state, find out who has made it into the couple’s
inner circle in California.
Serena
Williams
Tennis pro-Serena
Williams first crossed paths with Meghan back in 2014 at a charity
football match. “We hit it off immediately, taking pictures, laughing and
chatting—not about tennis or acting, but about good old-fashioned girly stuff.
So began our friendship…
“She quickly became a
confidante I would text when I was travelling, the friend I would rally around
for her tennis matches, and the down-to-earth chick I was able to grab lunch
with a couple of weeks ago in Toronto,” Meghan previously wrote on her
now-defunct lifestyle website The Tig.
Serena used to be one of
Meghan’s neighbours when the Sussexes were briefly based in LA before
moving to Montecito; the friends both lived in the same gated community in
the exclusive Beverly Hills 90210 postcode.
Katy
Perry and Orlando Bloom
The American singer and the
British actor own property in Santa Barbara in the same gated
community as Harry and Meghan.
Speaking on Dax Shepard’s Armchair
Expert podcast in May 2021, Harry opened up about paparazzi attention and
how his life in Montecito has allowed him more privacy.
“Having moved, has it got
better?” Dax asked the royal. “Yeah, way better,” Harry said,
before adding: “Just two days ago Orlando Bloom sent me a message because
he’s down the road and we sort of keep in contact because of the
paparazzi.”
Oprah
Winfrey
Oprah is a firm member
of Meghan and Harry’s ‘squad’ – they gave their first tell-all interview
to the chat show host in 2021 after leaving royal life behind, plus their
son Archie is a member of her book club, too. The media mogul was
also a guest at the 2018 royal wedding.
Oprah owns a £40.9million
mansion in Montecito, California. Dubbed ‘The Promised Land’, it could make an
excellent little getaway for the Sussexes.
James
Corden
James Corden has been
friends with Harry for years, hence his invitation to the royal wedding in 2018
and more exclusive night-time reception. Harry also starred in The
Late Late Show with James Corden show in 2021, where the pair rode a
double-decker tourist bus around LA and the Duke opened up about life since
leaving royal duties.
James lives in Brentwood, LA,
with his family and was no doubt a friendly face for Harry when he first
moved to California. The Brit is now heading back to the UK though after
quitting his show.
Katharine
McPhee
Meghan and fellow actress
Katharine grew up and performed in musicals together when they were kids.
Katharine and her music producer husband David Foster were pictured joining
Harry and Meghan at Lucky’s Steakhouse in Montecito in October 2020.
And last year, Katharine spoke
about her husband’s relationship with the Prince, revealing they were
“like father and son”. In an interview with Access Hollywood,
she said: “My husband has a really, really beautiful relationship with
Harry. They’re like, they’re so cute. They’re like father and son.”
