Prince Harry has been hit with a hefty tax bill for his Montecito mansion in California, where he resides with his family. The couple bought the sprawling property in 2020 for $14.5m (£11m), and it boasts an impressive 18,000 sq ft.
For those who don’t know, Harry and Meghan purchased the property while staying at one of Tyler Perry’s homes in the early days after leaving Frogmore Cottage in the UK. Prior to that, the couple had spent several months in Canada after stepping back from royal duties.
The Montecito mansion spans five acres and includes 9 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a swimming pool, a tennis court, extensive gardens, a chicken coop, a 5-car garage, a guest house, a spa, a wine cellar, a gym, a library and a tea house.
In 2023, their property tax bill amounted to almost $146,600 (£112,000), which they paid in two installments, according to The sun. This represented a slight increase from 2022, when they paid $144,000 (£110,000), and in 2021, they were charged $141,000 (£108,000).
At the same time as he’s dealing with his tax obligations in California, Prince Harry has also been working to improve relations with his family in the U.K. He’s been reaching out to old friends and former palace aides in an effort to reconcile with his father, King Charles, and brother, Prince William.
Despite these efforts, confidential sources reveal that Harry and Meghan have no plans to abandon their life in California, although there could be talks about a “partial return to royal life”, according to reports.