Prince Harry & Meghan Markle slapped with £100k tax bill for Montecito mansion with duke in midst of ‘UK comeback plot’
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have been hit with a whopping £100,000 tax bill for their Montecito mansion.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex splashed out $14.5million (£11million) on their seven-bed and 15-bathroom sprawling California pad four years ago.
Santa Barbara figures reveal they were charged $146,600 (£112,000) for 2023, which was paid in two installments.
The property tax bill has risen in recent years, saddling the couple with rising costs.
Records show in 2022, they were hit with a $144,000 (£110,000) property tax bill.
The figure for 2021 was $141,000 (£108,000).
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It comes amid speculation that Harry has asked former aides to help him plan a comeback from his US exile and spend more time in Britain.
Harry is said to be consulting people "from his old life" after growing frustrated with American PR experts.
Harry reportedly plans to spend more time in the UK in a bid to repair his relationship with King Charles.
The strategy could see a "rehabilitated" Harry stage a partial return to royal life.
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But insiders said Harry and Meghan are not seeking a permanent return from California.
It comes after Meghan Markle revealed she is entering a "chapter of joy" as she spoke at Oprah Winfrey’s book club.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, was one of several speakers at the event at Godmothers bookstore, in Summerland, California.
Prince Harry's memoir Spare was displayed on the "hometowns heroes" shelf at the glitzy bash, which celebrated the store's opening this weekend.
Speaking at the book club, she said: "I'm looking at this time as my chapter of joy.
"The more you are able to look at your life and really, truly recognise and be able to be grateful for your life - you have to be grateful for all aspects of it.
"My intentionality is to enjoy this chapter and be able to love through every piece of this as best we can."
Bookstore co-owner, and literary agent, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh said of the collection: "This is our local authors shelf when you first walk in.
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"I want it to be when you first walk in so that authors who are local to the area know that this is their hometown bookstore.
"And we celebrate our hometown authors as if they were our hometown heroes, because to us they are."
