Harry and Meghan Markle accused of snubbing Montecito neighbour

A Navy veteran claimed he tried to give the Duke and Duchess of Sussex a gift when they moved into the area – but the gesture did not go as planned

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been accused of snubbing their elderly neighbour after they moved to Montecito, California.

Frank McGinity, an 88-year-old US Navy veteran, said that he has been neighbours with the Sussexes since they first moved into the area in 2020 and that he tried to welcome them to the community with a gift.

But the gesture did not go as planned, he said.

In a chapter of his memoir, Get Off Your Street, Mr McGinity said that he approached the couple’s home to give them some films he has made about the history of the local area.

“I have a big house next to Harry and Meghan’s property and I live in the guest house while renting the main house out on Airbnb,” he said, according to The Montecito Journal.

“Harry and Meghan live on old McCormick property and I went up to their gate with the films on a CD, but they weren’t interested,” he added.

Mr McGinity said that the couple’s security guard on the gate turned him away.

“The gate guy turned me away and wouldn’t take the film, just saying ‘they’re not interested.’ I was trying to be neighbourly,” he said.

He added: “We don’t see them very much around here. It’s surprising they came here. People are typically older. It’s where the elephants come to die.”

Mr McGinity said that he lives a “tiara’s toss or two” from the Sussex’s property in the wealthy enclave of Montecito.

Meghan and Harry settled into the California home there back in July 2020, in a property that is said to be worth $14.7m (£11.2m), according to TMZ.

The Duke and Duchess moved to the US in 2020 (Getty Images)

At the time, a spokesperson for the couple told The Independent: “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.”

Since moving to the US, Harry has visited the UK on a number of occasions including the late Queen’s funeral, the King’s Coronation and to appear in court during his legal battle against The Daily Mirror.