Meghan Markle had difficulty finding housekeepers willing to work at her and Prince Harry's Montecito mansion before the couple's planned move back to the UK, according to a new report. A source told Page Six that Markle's reputation among potential household staff became an issue in the wealthy California community, with some housekeepers reportedly declining to work for the couple.
“She had trouble hiring maids because a lot of the housekeepers in Montecito didn’t want to work for them,” the source told the outlet.
The source alleged that Markle personally interviewed some prospective employees and that the encounters sometimes left applicants offended. “Meghan would interview people herself and could come across as really snobbish and rude,” the insider said. “Some of them were so offended by the way she spoke to them that word started getting around.”
According to the source, the situation eventually became something people in the local housekeeping community joked about. “It got to the point where people would joke that all the maids in Montecito hated them,” the insider added.
The report comes after 4 members of the couple's team departed in June 2025. Kyle Boulia, their Los Angeles-based deputy press secretary, and Charlie Gipson, their UK press officer, left their positions after the couple brought on new advisers. Two members of their private team also left in the weeks before that.
Markle was previously accused of bullying palace staff during her time as a working royal in Britain. Buckingham Palace launched an investigation into the allegations, though its findings were never made public. Markle denied the accusations.
Harry and Markle have lived in Montecito since 2020, when they stepped back as senior members of the royal family and relocated to California.
The couple plans to return to the UK with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for an “extended period.” They are expected to remain non-working members of the royal family.
“She had trouble hiring maids because a lot of the housekeepers in Montecito didn’t want to work for them,” the source told the outlet.
The source alleged that Markle personally interviewed some prospective employees and that the encounters sometimes left applicants offended. “Meghan would interview people herself and could come across as really snobbish and rude,” the insider said. “Some of them were so offended by the way she spoke to them that word started getting around.”
According to the source, the situation eventually became something people in the local housekeeping community joked about. “It got to the point where people would joke that all the maids in Montecito hated them,” the insider added.
The report comes after 4 members of the couple's team departed in June 2025. Kyle Boulia, their Los Angeles-based deputy press secretary, and Charlie Gipson, their UK press officer, left their positions after the couple brought on new advisers. Two members of their private team also left in the weeks before that.
Markle was previously accused of bullying palace staff during her time as a working royal in Britain. Buckingham Palace launched an investigation into the allegations, though its findings were never made public. Markle denied the accusations.
Harry and Markle have lived in Montecito since 2020, when they stepped back as senior members of the royal family and relocated to California.
The couple plans to return to the UK with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, for an “extended period.” They are expected to remain non-working members of the royal family.
