Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had a rough few months in early 2026. Since stepping back from royal duties and planting roots in Montecito, California, the couple has been working hard to build a new life on their own terms — new projects, new ventures, a new brand. But the narrative around them keeps slipping out of their control.

One big hit came from a Daily Mail report claiming that Netflix boss Ted Sarandos refused to take calls from the former royals unless a lawyer was present — a story that spread quickly and landed hard. Both a Netflix spokesperson and Meghan’s attorney fired back, calling the claims “absolutely inaccurate” and “blatantly false.” But the damage to their image was already done.

A report, published by Variety on March 17, 2026, also explored claims about the couple’s collaboration with the streaming giant, including disputed allegations that Netflix was blindsided by their March 7, 2021, interview with Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare.” The couple quickly refuted these claims, asserting that their communication with Netflix throughout their deal was transparent.

It’s the kind of press that’s hard to shake. And while Prince Harry and Meghan continue to push forward — amid news that she posted photos of herself and daughter Princess Lilibet in their garden to promote $255 luxury flower boxes by her brand, As Ever — the couple’s public perception keeps taking hits from all directions.

However, one major criticism has been different as it wasn’t by the media. Critics have been piling on for years. What made this criticism different was the source of the latest negativity.

Their Montecito neighborhood is one of the most star-studded zip codes in America. Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry, Ellen DeGeneres, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Aniston — these are the people living nearby. And even in that crowd, something quietly shifted.

When Harry and Meghan first arrived in Montecito in 2020, the reception was warm. Actress Sharon Stone told Access Hollywood they hadn’t come to California to live off the community — they came to be part of it. A spokesperson echoed that, telling Vogue the couple had “settled into the quiet privacy of their community” and hoped to be respected as neighbors and as a family.

That goodwill, it seems, has run its course.

In December 2024, local journalist Richard Mineards spoke in the German documentary “Harry: The Lost Prince” and was surprisingly candid. He said Meghan “doesn’t really go out or get involved with the community” and added that Harry, while slightly more visible — spotted cycling, grabbing coffee, hitting the beach — had also largely disappeared from view.

“You don’t see him either,” Mineards said plainly.

He also described Meghan’s relationship with Montecito as “distant,” calling her “practically invisible” in the community and someone who “cultivates a very controlled image.”

Page Six reported the couple’s neighbors had stepped back even further. But a source close to Harry and Meghan pushed back, saying the couple has “a great relationship with their neighbors and love their community.” But another source told Page Six a different story entirely — and made clear this had nothing to do with negative headlines.

“They are avoiding them. No one wants to be seen with them. It’s not hate,” the source said. “It’s just a growing awareness that they’re takers with zero self-awareness. Everyone’s exhausted by them.”

Do you think Meghan and Harry have made a real effort to be part of their community, or does it sound like they’ve always kept everyone at arm’s length? Does it surprise you that neighbors in such a celebrity-packed area are the ones speaking out? Let us know, and then pass this on to your family, friends, and other Meghan and Harry followers out there!