Meghan Markle’s alleged “snobbish” behavior toward job candidates made hiring housekeepers for her Montecito mansion a persistent struggle, according to a new report.
The Duchess of Sussex, 45, personally conducted interviews for domestic staff at the California estate she shares with Prince Harry, 41, but frequently rubbed applicants the wrong way, a source exclusively claimed. “She had trouble hiring maids because a lot of the housekeepers in Montecito didn’t want to work for them,” the insider said.
“Meghan would interview people herself and could come across as really snobbish and rude,” the source continued. “Some of them were so offended by the way she spoke to them that word started getting around.”
The alleged reputation spread quickly through the wealthy Santa Barbara County enclave, where the couple has lived since 2020 after stepping back as senior royals. “It got to the point where people would joke that all the maids in Montecito hated them,” the insider added.
The staffing difficulties come amid broader turbulence in the Sussexes’ employment situation. In June 2025, four staffers left Markle and Prince Harry’s team, it was confirmed at the time. Kyle Boulia, the couple’s Los Angeles-based deputy press secretary, and Charlie Gipson, their UK press officer, quietly exited after the couple brought on new advisers. Two members of their private team also departed in recent weeks.
During her time as a working royal in the UK, Markle had faced accusations of bullying by palace aides, prompting an official Palace investigation. The findings were never released, and Markle denied the claims.
The new allegations about her conduct in California arrive as the couple prepares for a major relocation. Harry and Markle plan to return to the UK with their children — Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 — at the end of the month for an “extended period,” it was confirmed Wednesday.
Their return comes six years after the couple’s dramatic departure from royal life, widely known as “Megxit.” They are expected to remain “non-working members” of the royal family while continuing their business ventures in Britain.
Several Montecito neighbors have welcomed the news of their departure. “When we first heard Harry and Meghan were moving to Montecito, there were definitely some concerns,” a local resident exclusively said. “There had already been so much negative press and attention surrounding them and the royal family, and I think people worried about what kind of spotlight that could bring to such a quiet community.”
The neighbor emphasized that they could only speak for themselves and others they had directly spoken with, not the entire community. Montecito is home to numerous high-profile residents including Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe, but the local said Harry and Meghan brought an unusual level of press attention to the normally quiet area.
“Montecito is a very private, peaceful place, and I think a lot of people here will be happy to see things go back to being a little quieter,” the source continued. “They couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Reps for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not respond to requests for comment.