SOME Montecito neighbours won’t be shedding any tears as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle prepare to spend an extended stretch back in the UK — with one bluntly summing it up as: “Good riddance!”

A local resident said there were worries when the Sussexes first moved into the famously quiet area, pointing to the negative press and attention around the couple and the wider royal family — and the fear that spotlight could follow them to Santa Barbara County.

Now, with the pair planning a UK return, that same resident said they “couldn’t be more thrilled”, adding that Montecito is “very private” and that people will be happy if things get “a little quieter”. They also stressed they can only speak for themselves and other residents they’ve spoken with — not the entire community.

The move itself is set: Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, plan to return to Britain with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, at the end of the month for an “extended period”. Their representatives didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The family is said to be keeping their $14.5 million Montecito estate while spending significantly more time in the UK, although a Santa Barbara luxury real estate source said there have been “rumblings” the property could be sold.

Harry and Meghan have lived in Montecito since 2020, after stepping down as “senior” royals and relocating to the US. Their nine-bedroom, 16-bathroom home includes a tennis court, rose garden, tea house and a children’s playhouse.

A royal insider has linked the shift in part to King Charles III. The Sussexes reportedly saw the 77-year-old monarch at Highgrove House in July — the first time he’d seen Archie and Lilibet in four years — and Charles is said to be pleased about having them closer. The children are expected to attend school in the UK during the stay, while Harry and Meghan are expected to remain “non-working members” of the royal family and continue their business ventures.