Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's neighbors slam 'desperate' attempt to ditch 'tiaras in pursuit of Tupperware'

Many Montecito residents still haven’t welcomed their royal neighbors with open arms.

Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, told Fox News Digital that locals are fuming that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have placed a glaring spotlight on their wealthy, coastal home. 

Many depicted the California town as neighborly and quiet before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex laid down roots in 2020.

MEGHAN MARKLE, PRINCE HARRY CALLED LOCAL VILLAINS BY NEIGHBORS IN RITZY CALIFORNIA TOWN

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in the UK and moved to California in 2020. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

"Montecito residents tell me that their disdain is primarily focused on Meghan because she gives off 'new money energy,’" said Schofield. "They don't believe that Harry and Meghan are financially literate."

According to Schofield, neighbors feel the couple’s entertainment pursuits "come off as desperation." The Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan," premieres in March. Her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, is also expected to launch sometime this year.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously called Frogmore Cottage in the U.K. home. (Getty Images)

"Neighbors have a hard time processing why someone would turn their back on tiaras in pursuit of Tupperware," she said. "Selling pots and pans with an American Riviera Orchard logo on it just does not compete with state visits with world leaders."

The Duchess of Sussex's lifestyle series, "With Love, Meghan," will now premiere on March 4. (Netflix)

Schofield’s comments came shortly after a scathing Vanity Fair report said that Meghan and Harry are called "local villains" by neighbors.

A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn’t immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment about the lengthy feature.

"Neighbors have a hard time processing why someone would turn their back on tiaras in pursuit of Tupperware. Selling pots and pans with an American Riviera Orchard logo on it just does not compete with state visits with world leaders."

— Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast

Meghan Markle's Netflix series was filmed near her home in Montecito. (Netflix)

One Montecito resident, who has never met the couple but spoke to the outlet, referred to the duo as the prince and "the starlet." Meghan, 43, a former American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince, 40, in 2018.

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Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Britain's Prince Harry in 2020. They share two young children: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. They are being raised in Montecito. (ALASTAIR GRANT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Locals of the Santa Barbara area attributed many new annoyances to the pair, including increased housing prices and busy streets taken over by "out-of-towners."

"According to several Montecito residents, Harry and Meghan bring negative, unwanted drama to their beautiful area," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital.

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"This noise is seeping into their once-quiet neighborly area," Chard claimed. "Montecito, once a hidden jewel, is now on a pedestal due to the Meghan and Harry celebrity association. The unwelcomed attention has also highlighted other high-profile Hollywood Montecito residents and draws crowds of voyeurs to the area. They fill the restaurants, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Hollywood stars."

Meghan Markle, a former American actress who starred in the legal drama "Suits," was born and raised in California. (Steve Wilkie/USA Network/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

Schofield said that despite worldwide interest surrounding Montecito, thanks to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex calling it home, the couple is rarely seen by locals or curious visitors.

Meghan Markle is seen at an event for Netflix on Nov. 15, 2023, in Montecito, Calif. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix)

"I have combed the society papers and magazines in Montecito to see if Harry and Meghan are photographed at local charity galas or mentioned for community contributions," said Schofield. "They simply are not. They are considered introverts. Friendly, but not open and engaging."

The gate of the estate where Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle live in Montecito. (VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

Chard agreed with Schofield's sentiments.

"It has been cited that Meghan and Harry keep to themselves at home and sadly do not contribute to the community," she said.

A source also told the outlet that Harry reportedly doesn’t have a social life.

"[Meghan] was upfront about the fact that Harry hadn’t made many friends yet," the source, who previously interacted with the duchess professionally, told Vanity Fair.

Schofield claimed it’s gotten harder for the couple to win over local fans.

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The home of talk show host Oprah Winfrey as seen from the air on June 22, 2001, in Montecito, Calif. It has been reported that Winfrey purchased the 42-acre estate for an estimated $50 million dollars. (Jason Kirk/Getty Images)

"There’s no doubt that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle put Montecito on the map," she shared. "Yes, Oprah Winfrey and Katy Perry live there, but their presence is quiet. Paparazzi typically do not drive 200 miles round trip to take their photos.

"Montecito now gets daily mentions thanks to Harry and Meghan’s presence. Harry has also spoken about Orlando Bloom calling to warn him about photographers hiding down the street. It has changed the environment."

Many celebrities have called Montecito home over the years. In this 1991 photo, Jane Seymour is seen lounging at her Santa Barbara estate in Montecito, Calif. (Paul Harris/Getty Images)

Montecito has been home to a handful of celebrities, including Natalie Portman, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow, Adam Levine, Leonardo DiCaprio and Michael Keaton. However, the neighborhood has seen much more tourist traffic since Meghan and Harry's arrival in 2020, anonymous residents told the outlet.

Royal experts agreed that Montecito has become a household name after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose the city as their home. (DAVID MCNEW/AFP via Getty Images)

American Riviera Orchard, Meghan’s latest business endeavor, is also located in Montecito. According to the outlet, a book published by the Southern Pacific Company rail lines in 1898 states, "Montecito is known as the American Riviera." However, that honor reportedly now belongs to Santa Barbara specifically.

According to the Vanity Fair report, Prince Harry hasn't made many new friends in the area. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

"It’s such a kind of hucksterism," a resident told Vanity Fair. "It’s just finding every way she can to monetize something."

"I still think they’re the most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet," the resident added about the couple. "They moved away from England to get away from the scrutiny of the press, and all they do is try and get in the press in the United States."

Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, is reportedly launching this year. Several of her celebrity pals have given viewers a sneak peek of what to expect on social media. (AP)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been estranged from the royal family since they stepped back as senior members. The couple said the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British press were what prompted them to make their exit.

Since then, they’ve made headlines for airing their grievances. 

After detailing their struggles with royal life to Winfrey in a televised interview viewed by nearly 50 million people globally, they unveiled their controversial Netflix docuseries, "Harry & Meghan," in late 2022. Then, in early 2023, Harry’s memoir, "Spare," was published. 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were famously interviewed by fellow Montecito resident Oprah Winfrey in 2021. (Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese via Getty Images)

Each launch highlighted new allegations about their time as working royals.

"When it comes to claims they are ‘local villains,’ it depends on who you speak to," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. "They’ve put Montecito on the map internationally because they moved there after stepping down from being senior working royals. It’s true they hated the press they got in the U.K. and had mostly good press in the U.S."

"That good press, however, is changing as we’ve seen with Vanity Fair, The Cut and The Hollywood Reporter, which have run critical pieces," Fitzwilliams noted.

Prince Harry is seen out for a walk with his dog in Montecito, Calif. (MEGA/GC Images)

Chard believes that if the couple’s foundation, Archewell, "became a powerhouse contributor in the charity space," they might finally get the seal of approval from their no-nonsense neighbors.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's nonprofit Archewell Foundation aims to "show up, do good." (Matt Dunham - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

"It could change public perception," she said. "I think one issue people have with Harry and Meghan is this idea that they are monetizing their relationship with the British royal family while disrespecting them. They constantly tell us how good they are, but so far, they have contributed more hurt than help. Archewell needs to be the star. Archewell needs to step up."

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner has a different view. He believes the couple have been unfairly judged after fleeing their life in the UK.

That scrutiny, he noted, won't end anytime soon.

Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, described the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as "introverts" in the ritzy town. (Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images)

"It is said that Harry and Meghan are living the dream existence," he explained. "In my view, it’s quite the opposite. They are in a perpetual nightmare, wondering which sling or arrow will be plunged into their family heart next."

"In Montecito, the residents complain that they do nothing for the community," he shared. "In reality, the couple live in a bunker world, constantly worrying who to trust and what might be said about them."

Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.