These stunning photos show the inside of the sprawling $20million Malibu mansion Harry and Meghan plan to rent to get a feel for life post Megxit, sources tell DailyMail.com
The huge eight bedroom, ten bathroom property costs a hefty $15,950 a night, but sources say the couple is keen to sample Malibu before laying down any long term roots, DailyMailTV has learned.
The pair plan to use the mansion, called Petra Manor, as a test run home while they settle in to life in southern California.
While he would not confirm that Harry and Meghan have chosen Petra Manor, Stay Awhile Villas owner, Stuart Heller told DailyMail.com: ‘Stay Awhile Villas is often contacted by high profile families seeking to test neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles before making any move permanent.
‘This is the perfect property for anyone wanting to move to the area and Harry and Meghan will want to see if Malibu suits their lifestyle.
‘The house is a short term rental, many people come to Malibu looking for a home and they will rent somewhere first to see if it makes sense for them and their family.’
The source continued: ‘The house is a short term rental, many people come to Malibu looking for a home and they will rent somewhere first to see if it makes sense for them and their family.
‘Homes in Malibu don’t come cheap so it wouldn’t make any sense to buy so quickly.
‘Harry and Meghan want to rent a place similar to what they potentially could live in long term, they want to try it out, see what the area is like and make a decision from there.
‘A lot of families of their caliber moving to the area weigh up the benefits of living in Beverly Hills versus the west side, those are lifestyle decisions, they look at where their children will go to school, where their kids will learn to swim.
‘Meghan and Harry also have a staff and a security team to think about, all these things are a factor when looking at a new place to live.’
The couple promised to split their time between the UK and North America and have spent the past few months with baby Archie at a luxurious $18million waterside mansion on Vancouver Island in Canada.
But DailyMailTV understands they are keen to have a home in California, where they would be close to Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland and have better access to Silicon Valley and Hollywood.
And the Malibu mansion looks to be the perfect place to make a fresh start in the sunshine after their official royal duties come to an end on March 31.
A month long stay at Petra Manor would cost a staggering $200,000 unless they cut a deal.
But the sprawling Malibu estate won’t disappoint the couple.
Owned by Baywatch star David Charvet, the home was bought in 2012 before being torn down and completely rebuilt to a high standard by 2014.
Charvet, who hedged recently when asked about the possibility of the Sussexes renting the abode, still owns the house which is one of his many investment properties in Malibu.
The mansion is around the corner from a host of huge Hollywood names including Robert Downey Jr, Mel Gibson, Dick Van Dyke and Caitlyn Jenner.
The recently renovated Italian style mansion, which sits in a secure gated community, boasts a swimming pool and cabana, jacuzzi and perfectly manicured grounds.
A tennis court will keep Harry’s love of the game going while the estate offers a myriad of outdoor entertainment spaces including a fully outfitted loggia with an outdoor kitchen.
Inside there is a wine cellar and tasting room, an enormous movie theater as well as a dance studio.
And should the couple want to have any celebrity friends over there’s a huge bar and entertainment lounge.
The house also has a private office area for Harry and Meghan to get stuck into their charity work which boasts views over the grounds.
According to LuxuryHomeRentals.com, the website of luxury villa rental company Stay Awhile Villas which is renting the property, the home has an ‘old-world ambiance’ while also embracing cutting edge technology.
The house is fitted with a Savant Smart Home system which controls music, lights and air conditioning and the home also has automatic room darkening shades.
The site states: ‘You’ll find the Petra Manor embodies gracious hospitality. Multiple bedrooms suites boast generous lounge areas, with sofas, TVs and fireplaces so that each member of the party can experience privacy and solitude as they wish.
‘A vacation at Petra Manor can be described in a myriad of manners. Ultimately sophisticated. Wildly hedonistic. Quietly contemplative. All would agree, however, that it’s a treasure to be fully experienced in its considerable glory.’
The plush home is located in the hills just a short distance from the Pacific Ocean and across the street from the Serra Retreat, a 24-acre Catholic retreat and conference center run by Franciscan Friars.
And the local amenities will undoubtedly suit Meghan, with a posh Whole Foods supermarket at the bottom of the hill as well as the Malibu Farmers Market, a CrossFit and several fashion retailers and restaurants.
The home is also a short drive from celebrity packed restaurant Nobu Malibu and is just 30 miles away from Meghan’s mom and Archie’s grandmother Doria, 63, who lives in Los Angeles.
The source told DailyMailTV: ‘Moving is stressful especially for families with young children.
‘Stay Awhile Villas is often contacted by high profile families seeking to test neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles before making any move permanent.
In January, Caitlyn Jenner told Loose Women she had heard Harry and Meghan were looking for a home in Malibu.
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, 70, told the talk show panel that the couple ‘probably had enough’ to take such a drastic step back from their royal duties, but added it must have been ‘very difficult’ for the actress.
Asked what she thinks will happen next for the couple, she said: ‘I can’t predict as I’ve tried to raise our royal family in the US. It was probably very difficult for Meghan, coming into the Royal Family.
‘It was a big shock to her, she’s probably had enough. Good for them, we’ll see how it goes. I heard they were looking for a house in Malibu. It must have been tough. Everyone deserves to be happy.’
The Sussexes will officially step down as senior royals on March 31 and close their Buckingham Palace office.
From then on they will no longer be working royals, with just six more engagements to complete before ‘Megxit’.
Their last duty is expected to be as soon as March 9, when they will join the Queen at Westminster Abbey to mark Commonwealth Day.
