KEY POINTS

  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle purchased their Santa Barbara home without the royal family's help
  • The Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn't want the royals to have control over them, a report said
  • The royal couple was accused of lying about their involvement in "Finding Freedom"

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didn't ask for help from the royal family when they purchased their new home in Montecito, California, for a reason.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been living in their multi-million dollar estate in Santa Barbara for several weeks now. Prince Harry and Markle, who stepped down from their royal roles in January, chose to pay for the $14.65 million property out of their own pockets without the involvement of the royal family as it would be going against their bid for financial independence.

"Harry could’ve asked [Prince] Charles to contribute toward the cost of the house, but he chose not to," a source told Us Weekly. "Getting his dad financially involved would result in the royals having control over him. It would mean going backwards."

Instead of asking for a financial contribution from the British clan, Prince Harry and Markle took out a "huge mortgage" for the estate. The source said Prince William's brother is happy with their decision because he is "loving being independent and sees it as an opportunity to grow."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are satisfied with their new home and proud of their purchase, believing it to be "an absolute bargain," the insider said.

"Harry and Meghan see it as an absolute bargain; it was an opportunity not to be missed," the source revealed.

"Unlike buying a car, it’s an investment," the insider continued. "Meghan’s confident they’ll make a hefty profit if they ever decide to sell up. And on the upside, at least their security costs have been reduced. Their new home is gated and secure. They still have bodyguards but no longer need as many.”

Prince Harry and Markle may settle down in their new neighborhood, which also has homes of several other big names like Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey, for good.

"Buying a house together is a huge milestone for Harry and Meghan, especially as it’s the first property they’ve owned," the insider said. "They want to grow old together, reminiscing about their amazing journey.”

Prince Harry and Markle's new purchase comes as a new biography about the Sussexes, "Finding Freedom," by royal correspondents Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand was released last week.

A rep for Prince Harry and Markle had previously confirmed that the royal couple did not participate in the making of the tell-all book and did not give interviews to the journalists. However, they were accused of lying about their involvement following the biography's release as its Authors' Note stated that Scobie and Durand talked to them "when appropriate."

Scobie recently set the record straight on Twitter, saying that the note referred to short exchanges with Prince Harry and Markle during formal engagements, which were very different from actual interviews.

Meanwhile, Dickie Arbiter, the Queen's former spokesperson, hopes that the Sussexes will find peace after leaving the royal family.

"When I finished reading #FindingFreedom a few days ago I omitted to go through the illustrations," he wrote on Twitter. "Who's idea was it to #ghost #ThomasMarkle - the authors or the subjects? Now #H&M have found freedom I hope in time, for their sakes, they find peace."

Prince Charles Prince William and Prince Harry
Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry visit the tunnel and trenches at Vimy Memorial Park during the commemorations for the centenary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge on April 9, 2017 in Vimy, France. Getty Images/Tim Rooke