It's been nearly five months since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry moved to Los Angeles after stepping back from their royal roles in March. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently celebrated a new first, as Meghan celebrated her 39th birthday in her hometown, after years of living abroad.
According to People, Prince Harry and Meghan arrived in Los Angeles right before the travel restrictions due to COVID-19 were set in place. The move to L.A. came after the Sussexes spent around five months staying in Vancouver.
Prince Harry and Meghan chose to live in Tyler Perry's mansion in Beverly Hills. Rumors surfaced that Oprah Winfrey made this arrangement, but Gayle King, Winfrey's best friend, denied the report.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, King said that Winfrey had nothing to do with Prince Harry and Meghan's living arrangements in Los Angeles. She said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex know people who hooked them up with Perry and who weren't necessarily connected to Winfrey.
Meghan, being a Los Angeles native, has friends in the city. However, because of the coronavirus pandemic, Prince Harry and Meghan have spent a limited time outdoors or at gatherings.
A friend told People that the Sussex pair has been very cautious and practiced social distancing. The only person they spent most of the time with, in the months since their big move, is Doria Ragland, Meghan's mother.
Meanwhile, royal expert Katie Nicholl said via Entertainment Weekly that Prince Harry and Meghan are still struggling with their Los Angele life. Apparently, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had to make big adjustments when it came to security.
Nicholl said that Prince Harry and Meghan "have been naive" in their expectations about their life in Hollywood. They thought they could get privacy but America's paparazzi apparently work differently than the British tabloid press.
The royal expert said that in Britain, Prince Harry and Meghan could still avoid paparazzi pictures because there's a "gentleman's agreement" between the press and the palace, especially the senior members of the royal family. Prince Harry and Meghan gave this up when they decided to become "private citizens" in America and now have to deal with a lawsuit against photographers who took photos of their son from their backyard.
Nicholl said that Prince Harry is reportedly upset over press harassment in Los Angeles. But beyond that, the Duke of Sussex also feels frustrated by the lack of infrastructure and support system he used to rely on while still in London.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, however, plan to remain in Los Angeles and won't likely be flying to Balmoral to visit the Queen because of there's still a virus risk. Instead, Prince Harry and Meghan might join the royal family in December in Sandringham.
