Earlier this week, sources revealed that Harry and Meghan had recently moved into a new home in Santa Barbara, about 90 miles north of Los Angeles. The house comes with a hefty price tag: $14.7 million. Many have wondered if the royal family helped the couple buy the home, and now sources have revealed that Prince Charles is the one who reportedly stepped in and made the purchase possible.
A source told the Mail Online, "Charles had been keen to help out and put his hand in his own pocket to assist. He is devoted to both his sons and any time he can assist them he always will."
The source also shared that a trust made the purchase of the home back in June.
It's believed that Harry and Meghan have been living at the home for the last six weeks with their son, Archie. The details of the home are quite impressive.
It's believed that the home sits on around 5 acres of land, which will hopefully keep photographers and reporters away from the family of three. The home spans over 14,500 square feet and has nine bedrooms and a whopping 16 bathrooms. There's definitely plenty of room if the entire British wing of the family wants to come visit!
The home also has its own tennis court, swimming pool, and even a play area for children on the grounds.
Harry and Meghan were previously staying at Tyler Perry's 18-bedroom home, but Harry reportedly didn't like the house that much.
A friend told Page Six, "While it was a nice favor to them at a very difficult time, Tyler Perry's house with 18 bedrooms isn't Harry's style. Yes, he grew up in royalty and the halls of Buckingham Palace, but he prefers more intimate homes with character."
Rumors have been swirling that Harry and Meghan have been staying with other famous friends, including Oprah. However, those have largely been laid to rest with the news of their home purchase. The family friend explained a little more about the family's living situation:
"Harry and Meghan have been quietly living in their own home in Santa Barbara since early July."
"They are not houseguests of Oprah or anyone else, they bought this home themselves. This is where they want to continue their lives after leaving the UK. This is the first home either of them has ever owned. It has been a very special time for them as a couple and as a family — to have complete privacy for six weeks since they moved in."
The friend also added that Harry and Meghan hope to stay in this home for a long time:
"They intend to put down their roots in this house and the quiet community, which has considerable privacy. This is where they want to bring Archie up, where they hope he can have as normal a life as possible."
It also sounds like the two never planned to stay in Los Angeles indefinitely:
"Harry and Meghan never intended to make Los Angeles their home. It was a good place for them to be upon their arrival in the US to be close to Meghan's mom [who lives in LA]."
Like any parents, Harry and Meghan spent a lot of time considering what kind of community and home they want to raise Archie in.
"They have thought about this carefully and researched it well. This is the place where they plan to be happy, make good friends and bring up Archie, giving him the chance to play with other children his age."
While the price tag is certainly an eyebrow-raiser, Harry and Meghan are hardly the first people to have family help them buy their own home. According to a recent study of home purchases in 2018, one in five Americans had help from friends and family when buying their home and/or property.
Generally, the money comes from parents, who offer it either flat-out as a gift or as an interest-free loan. Since Prince Charles has an estimated net worth of up to $400 million, it's unlikely he's expecting Harry and Meghan to pay him back for any assistance he provided.
