MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry have left people in Montecito divided with their attitude, according to claims from residents.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved into the £12million Montecito villa in California back in the summer of 2020.

The luxury mansion boasts nine bedrooms, 19 bathrooms and a separate guesthouse where Meghan’s mother Doria is believed to stay when she visits.

Sitting on 7.4 acres with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean it also has a private cinema, gym, spa and wine cellar as well as Archie and Lilibet’s own playground.

But local residents have now spoken about the effect the Sussexes moving had on the beachfront town, reports the Express.

Katie, a retired university lecturer, claims the Sussexes settling down in the celebrity-packed Montecito has left many residents “divided”.

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She said: “A lot of people think, ‘yeah fun’, but a lot of people think, ‘they have got a bit of an attitude’."

She admitted that she had travelled up to the road on which the Sussex family lives, adding that locals in the area “are curious” about their famous royal neighbours.

Katie continued: “They are interested. People want to see what they are doing. They do not have bad motives.”

She “did drive by their street once”, she revealed, but “did not stop or peer in at all”.

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However, another resident named Judy dismissed the Duke and Duchess as public figures she is “truly not interested” in following.

Judy added: “There are people I know who are interested and curious about what they are doing.

“But I do not have any particular need to find out more about them.”

And Dave Kanarek, a sports sale representative in Santa Barbara town, said that he has not “really heard much about Harry and Meghan” going about their lives in the local area.

He added that the Duke and Duchess largely “keep themselves to themselves".

He continued: “That’s why they live here. It is a pretty mellow town.”

It is also one in which the residents “treat the celebrities who live here just like anybody else”.

Stars who live in the area include under-fire Maroon 5’s Adam Levine and his family; Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, and their daughter; Ellen DeGeneres, Ariana Grande, Rob Lowe, music guru Scooter Braun, and Friends legend, Jennifer Aniston.

It comes after reports that Harry and Meg are "hunting for a new mansion" in an exclusive gated community.

The Duke and Duchess have reportedly outgrown their Montecito villa and are now looking for new lodgings in a private California community.

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They are believed to be looking at homes in the nearby Hope Ranch community which go for as high as $22million, according to The Santa Barbara News-Press.

The Sun has contacted the Sussexes' spokesperson for comment.

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