The festive plans of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, could be severely disrupted as a significant storm system is predicted to strike their Californian neighbourhood over the Christmas period.
Montecito Association Issues Urgent Weather Alert
The Montecito Association, a local community group, sent an urgent email warning to its members—which is understood to include the royal couple—late on Friday night. The alert, signed by Executive Director Houghton Hyatt, relayed a serious forecast from the National Weather Service.
A major storm is expected to impact Santa Barbara County from Tuesday, December 23, through to Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25. The advisory warned of potential countywide dangers, including flooding in low-lying areas, dangerous flash flooding, and strong winds.
The message made clear that while official evacuations were not yet ordered, residents concerned for their safety should consider leaving before the rain begins. "Do not wait for an official evacuation notification to leave," it stated, adding that public safety officials are monitoring the situation and may issue further directives.
A History of Catastrophe in Santa Barbara
The warning carries a particularly heavy weight for Montecito residents due to the area's tragic history with extreme weather. In January 2018, a devastating mudslide, triggered by heavy rain on land scarred by wildfire, killed 23 people in the community.
Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, reside in a £24 million mansion in Montecito with their two children, Archie, six, and Lilibet, four. The new storm alert arrived just hours after the couple shared a heartwarming new family photograph on Instagram, featuring a Christmas message from Meghan that read, "Happy Holidays! From our family to yours."
Philanthropic Rebrand Amidst Festive Preparations
Separately, the couple have also marked the season by releasing a Christmas card and an end-of-year video highlighting the work of their charitable organisation. Notably, they announced that the Archewell Foundation, established in 2020 after they stepped back from royal duties, has been renamed Archewell Philanthropies.
A spokeswoman explained the change signifies a broadening of their global philanthropic efforts as a family. PR expert Mayah Riaz commented that the shift from 'Foundation' to 'Philanthropies' is a strategic branding evolution, suggesting "scale, maturity and longevity."
"It positions Archewell as something that could stand on its own," Riaz said, adding that the move at the five-year mark signals they are "in this for the long haul" and is about "control of narrative" for their next chapter.
As the Sussexes prepare for a potentially turbulent Christmas, their focus is divided between safeguarding their family from the incoming weather and steering their philanthropic ambitions into a new, more institutional phase.
