Rob Lowe reveals what it is like being neighbours with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

‘Once the royals move into your neighbourhood, the neighbourhood is never going to be the same’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have definitely brought a lot of interest to his “sleepy little town” of Montecito, California, ever since moving into their new Santa Barbara home last year, actor Rob Lowe has said.

During an interview with E! News, the 57-year-old actor said that despite the fact that the royal couple has attempted to “keep a low profile”, they have still expanded the interest in the area.

“They definitely have brought a lot of attention to my sleepy little town,” he said.

“Let me tell you something: Once the royals move into your neighbourhood, the neighbourhood is never going to be the same,” he added.

Lowe, who has lived in the area for 26 years, also spoke about talk show host Oprah Winfrey's move to the idyllic locale when hosts Kym Whitley and Justin Sylvester asked whether he was irate about the progressions the VIPs brought.

“When Oprah moved in, that began the sort of resurgence of Montecito. And now that the royals are there, the good news is property values go up, the bad news is the lines are longer at Starbucks,” he said.

Last month, The Guardian reported that police had been called to the royal couple’s house nine times since July 2020 for reports related to trespassing, alarm activations, and phone requests.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle tend to their baby son Archie (Getty Images)

In March this year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat down for a highly publicised interview with neighbour Winfrey, during which a number of shocking revelations were made.

The backdrop of the interview looked to be a manicured garden, with many people seemingly recognising the outdoor setting as Lowe’s home.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (VIA REUTERS)

However, The Outsiders star addressed the speculation during an interview on E! News’s Daily Podcast and clarified that he had not lent out his property for filming.

He said: “It’s so funny. Everybody thinks the interview is shot at my house and then my friend Ted Sarandos, who runs Netflix, everybody thought they shot it at his house.”

“Here’s my thing and I have no idea. I think they just plain old shot it at Oprah’s. I swear to you they just said it was a mystery location,” he said.

Earlier this month, American comedian Ellen DeGeneres also repurchased her Montecito ranch for $14.3m (£10.08m) after revealing that her famous talk show is coming to an end in the spring of 2022.

According to records, the sale took place on 23 April and the property is located next to Ms Winfrey’s estate.