Harry and Meghan 'buy £11m home in Santa Barbara'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly bought an £11m home in the celebrity hotspot of Santa Barbara.

The couple were said to be house-hunting in the US before the coronavirus lockdown after moving there from Canada.

Santa Barbara, on the coast of California, is home to stars including Oprah Winfrey and popstar Ariana Grande, while a host of famous names such as actors Jeff Bridges and Rob Lowe and chat show host Ellen DeGeneres have been past residents.

Image:The Sussexes have reportedly settled in Santa Barbara in California

The Sussexes' reported new nine-bedroom house, which is said to have cost $14.65m (£11.1m), includes a games room, home theatre, a lift, a gym and a swimming pool.

Alongside the main house, which stands at 14,500 sq ft, there is also a two-bedroom guesthouse and tennis court.

Harry and Meghan's new estate was bought by a company that matches limited liability companies started by the couple, according to reports.

A spokesman for the couple said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved into their family home in July of this year.

"They have settled into the quiet privacy of their community since their arrival and hope that this will be respected for their neighbours, as well as for them as a family."

It is understood that the Prince of Wales had no hand in helping purchasing the estate.

It is the latest move by the Duke and Duchess to distance themselves from royal life, after announcing they were stepping back from duties and becoming financially independent earlier this year.

It was announced they would no longer be working members of the monarchy and no longer be known as HRH, while splitting their time between Canada and the UK, with the majority spent in North America.