Major storm warning hits near Prince Harry, Meghan Markle’s Montecito mansion

California: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may be bracing for a wild weekend, as powerful winds and heavy rain are expected to lash Santa Barbara.

According to the National Weather Service, gusts could reach 50mph across Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties from Friday afternoon through early Saturday morning.

The agency warned: “Tree limbs could be blown down, and a few power outages may result. Winds this strong can make driving difficult.”

The storm threat, which includes rain across parts of Koreatown and Atwater Village, could also bring dangerous sea conditions.

Rain was reported in Koreatown and Atwater Village on Friday morning but more severe showers are also possible near the northern Ventura and LA County border with Kern County, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

The Weather Service issued a wind advisory for portions of Santa Barbara County, saying that sundowner winds could gust up to 50mph in the Santa Ynez Mountains and foothills, along with the coasts west of Goleta.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex call Montecito home, residing in a $29 million mansion with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It’s an area popular for its A-list homes, with Oprah Winfrey and Jennifer Aniston both residing nearby in their own mammoth estates.

But the location is also a hiker hotspot, garnering walkers from all over to tackle the trails. A route that was damaged over a year ago in a storm has now been restored and reopened, Santa Barbara local news site, Noozhawk, has reported.

The San Ysidro Trail is now fully operational – and it’s a scenic route with several pools and a waterfall along the track.

Dogs are also allowed if kept on leads, so it would be the ideal spot for the Sussexes to take their pooches for a stroll. The Montecito Trails Foundation has been behind the project and their website explains: “Restoring trails is hard work and requires careful planning and we are up for the task because of the amazing community partners that we have, and the hard work and volunteer hours of people like you.”

As well as walking routes, the area has a range of activities which are ideal for the Sussexes. One of the most popular locations is Butterfly Beach. We can see why it is a hit as it is a beautiful spot recommended for watching the sunrise and sunset, as well as swimming and surfing. There’s also a zoo, sea center, and botanical gardens close by, which are all kid-friendly days out.

Even without leaving their private estate, Archie and Lilibet can have bags of fun as their extensive garden is practically a holiday park. There’s the large family pool outside that’s lined with sun loungers, a giant playground complete with a climbing wall and plenty of space for running and ball games.

We’ve seen both children getting stuck into gardening and fruit picking on the estate. One summer, Harry and Meghan even made a huge slip ‘n’ slide in their back garden, proving that their home is geared towards creating special family moments.