A man suspected of stalking Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was arrested outside the couple’s Montecito, California home early Monday morning.
The couple’s security team noticed the individual’s suspicious behavior and made a citizen’s arrest. The security team alerted the Santa Barbara Police Department, who quickly responded and took the suspect, Kevin Garcia Valdovinos, 29, into custody. He has been charged with misdemeanor stalking by local authorities and was released on a $2,500 bail.
Concerns about the safety of the high-profile couple were heightened due to Valdovinos’ previous encounters with the law on similar charges.
It is unclear whether Prince Harry and Meghan were present at their home during the intrusion, as they were in New York City on Tuesday for an award event with their children.
The couple has been residing in Montecito since 2020 when they purchased a 5.4-acre property with an 18,000-square-foot mansion for $14.5 million.
Security issues have been an ongoing concern for the royal couple. In the past year alone, law enforcement has been called to their mansion nine times, with the alarm system being triggered on five occasions. The seriousness of their security situation was revealed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, where they disclosed that their financial support from Buckingham Palace was withdrawn after they stepped back from their senior royal roles.
To ensure their safety, Prince Harry and Meghan have relied on their international fame and financial success. They finance their security measures through lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify, estimated at $100 million and $25 million, respectively. Harry’s memoir, titled “Spare,” has contributed significantly to their financial security, earning him $20 million and breaking records as the fastest-selling non-fiction book on its release day. Despite their financial resources, the recent threat to their home security highlights the ongoing risks they face in their daily lives.
