Meghan Markle's Montecito Neighbor Slams Her 'Distant' Behavior: She 'Doesn't Play the Community Game'

Meghan Markle is far from a hometown hero.

Her neighbor Richard Mineards claimed that she is unapproachable and "distant," a far cry from her husband's demeanor.

"Meghan doesn’t play the community game," Mineards told an outlet on Thursday, May 29, noting that Meghan is "distant" from those around her.

When the famous couple first moved into their Montecito, Calif., home in 2020, the duchess allegedly turned down a local elderly historian Frank McGinity, who attempted to bestow her documentary films about their neighborhood as a welcome gift.

"The old man never got past the gate," Mineards confirmed.

The With Love, Meghan star reportedly maintains a "very controlled image," unlike her husband, who is "less in control."

"She pays attention to every appearance, every word, every gesture," Mineards said. "And here in Montecito, we appreciate simple people, even famous ones."

Prince Harry, on the other hand, is friendly with the neighbors in Santa Barbara County.

"He is always charming, approachable, with that very recognizable Windsor accent. He smiles, shakes hands, willingly exchanges a few words," Mineards explained. "We’ve seen him at the beach, in an organic coffee shop, or cycling in the hills."

While the son of Princess Diana is keen on conversation, his wife allegedly keeps a very low profile.

"Harry has kept his good-natured side. We feel that he is more at ease here, even with his personal struggles," Mineards expressed. "Meghan, on the other hand, is practically invisible. She’s there, of course, but she shows herself very little. Her relationship with Montecito is… distant, shall we say."

By contrast, another one of their neighbors, actress Sharon Stone, had nothing but nice things to say about the celebs.

"They didn't come here to live off of our community; they came here to be a part of our community," she told an outlet in 2020. "My friend was sitting in her car, and she said, 'And they bicycled across the street in front of me while I was sitting at the red light!' And I was like, 'That's what we're talking about. They're part of our community … a giving, caring, participating part of our community. They're not here like, 'Would you like to kiss my butt?'"

Harry and Meghan relocated from a temporary Beverly Hills home to a $14.65 million mansion in Montecito in July 2020. They previously resided in Nottingham Cottage in the U.K. and Vancouver Island in Canada.