I'm not sure whether or not this interesting article from
Inside Story was linked here earlier. It relates the fascinating history of the Riven Rock area of Montecito. Santa Barbara and Montecito were part of an undeveloped resort region initially popularized by Charlie Chaplin. The wealthy, Katharine Dexter McCormick, was later instrumental in developing the huge Riven Rock estate for therapeutic and medical research purposes. The original area constitutes a vast swathe of land, of which M&H's current property only comprises 5.4 acres.
The intriguing thing about Katharine McCormick is her commitment to finding a cure for her husband's mental illness, and later, her substantial and significant financial contributions that enabled the scientific research which ultimately produced the first groundbreaking contraceptive birth control pill:
https://insidestory.org.au/with-royalty-at-riven-rock/
Meghan & Harry's house was built in 2003, and is popularly referred to as the 'Chateau of Riven Rock':
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/la-fi-hotprop-montecito-chateau-20150612-story.html
The above source indicates 9 bedrooms and 12.5 bathrooms (not 16 bathrooms as reported elsewhere).
Here's more about the Riven Rock estate and about Charlie Chaplin's influence in advancing interest in Santa Barbara and Montecito:
https://www.montecitoinn.com/history.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riven_Rock,_Montecito
Here are two connected articles in one that discuss the design and construction of M&H's current home by the original owners/builders, Terry Cunningham and his wife Randi, who modeled the design on their love of French Provencal architecture. The house has also been described as 'Tuscan-inspired' in some of its design features:
https://trendswide.com/watch-out-fo...om-designer-of-harry-and-meghans-11m-mansion/
The Cunninghams certainly offered revealing details and insights into the property. They clearly loved building and living in the home where they raised their children, who fondly remember their enjoyment in growing up there. Despite the dangers of natural disasters, the property and the surrounding area offer substantial privacy and a great lifestyle for entertaining friends and enjoying an intimate family life. I suppose living in paradise will always present inherent challenges to balance out the sublime positives.