The Duchess of Sussex loves her $14.65 million (about R245m) California mansion as it feels like joy, calm, breathing and healing.
She gave magazine The Cut a tour of the Montecito property during her sit-down with journalist Allison P Davis – who noted it features palm trees in the garden, a shared office for the Duchess and her husband and a grand piano in the sitting room from actor director Tyler Perry, with whom the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stayed when they first moved to America.
The Duchess, 41, who shares son Archie, three, and daughter Lilibet, one, with her husband, the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, 37, said: “We did everything we could to get this house,' said Meghan. 'Because you walk in and go… joy. And exhale. And calm. It’s healing. You feel free.”
She said she and Prince Harry initially avoided visiting their home as affording it wasn’t possible since they didn’t have work.
The Duchess, known as Meghan Markle before she married Prince Harry, added that they resisted going on a “window shop” of property, but when they visited, fell in love with its grounds.
The Cut said they had toured only the outside – which includes a chicken coop, pool and pool house – when they told the estate agent that they wanted to buy the home.
It was also noted the house features scented candles from one of the Duchess’s favourite members’ clubs, Soho House, where the Duke and Duchess had their first date in London.
Interviewer Davis compared it to a classic Tuscan villa, a Napa vineyard and a Beverly Hills country club.
Prince Harry, who briefly joined his wife for her interview with The Cut, said the two connecting palm trees in the garden represented he and his wife’s love.
The Duchess said about their children being happy on the property: “And now every day when Archie goes by us, he says: ‘Hi, Momma. Hi, Papa’.”
Prince Harry added that he was in the middle of renovations for the home, which included pipes being fixed.