According to a report in TMZ, a man was caught trespassing at the Montecito, California home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle two times in late December.
A 37-year-old man named Nickolas Brooks was caught the first time on Christmas Eve, but was let off with a warning by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s officers. He returned on December 26 (that’s Boxing Day to Harry!) and was arrested.
TMZ says the man drove from Ohio before trespassing on the Sussexes’s property.
While one could conceivably shrug this off as no harm done, it puts into stark relief what Meghan and especially Harry’s brought up with Oprah Winfrey about being cut off from the royal security detail. While the couple may have stepped down from their positions, this does not make them any less a target. (See here for a further discussion of this issue.)
Harry and Meghan’s estate is valued at $14.65 million dollars. Other notables who live in Montecito, apart from Oprah Winfrey, include Ariana Grande, Rob Lowe, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, and there’s also a lovely hotel founded by Charlie Chaplin.
— Why Kensington Palace Just Can’t Let Go of Meghan Markle
— On With the Show! See the 2021 Hollywood Portfolio
— In Conversation: Roxane Gay and Monica Lewinsky on Trauma
— Reply All’s Implosion Reveals the Limits of One-Sided Internet Relationships
— Harry and Meghan Have “No Regrets” as Royal Exit Becomes Official
— Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen on Their Friendship’s Origins
— Proust Questionnaire: Watch Michael B. Jordan Answer Personality-Revealing Questions
— Can This Photographer Save Beirut’s Architectural Treasures?
— Seven Fashion Brands to Shop for a Fresh Start This Spring
— From the Archive: How Tobacco Heiress Doris Duke Got Away With Murder
— Not a subscriber? Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now.