Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have fled coronavirus in Canada to set up a permanent home in California, taking a private jet to Los Angeles, a source confirmed to Page Six.
The couple, with their 10-month-old baby, Archie, took a secret flight to the LA area, leaving their recent bolthole on Vancouver Island after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the country’s borders were closing last week.
Harry and Meghan are setting up home near Hollywood — after looking at homes in the Beverly Hills area — the UK Sun newspaper first reported.
“This move was planned for some time. They realized Canada would not work out for various reasons and they want to be based in the Los Angeles area.
“They have a big support network there. It’s where their new team of Hollywood agents and PRs and business managers are based. Meghan has lots of friends there and, of course, her mum, Doria,” the paper said.
Page Six had earlier reported that the former senior royal couple was eyeing a future in the Los Angeles area, where Meghan grew up and where her mom, Doria Ragland, lives. Meghan’s attorneys and talent managers are there, as well as executives for their new foundation. They also have an array of powerful friends living nearby, including Oprah Winfrey, and Harry’s close pal, late-night TV host James Corden.
Although it was reported the pair were looking at a home in Malibu, sources told Page Six this was not the case — citing security fears, especially being followed by paparazzi on the Pacific Coast Highway — and the fact that it was so remote.
The Sussexes have left Canada just a week after it was revealed that their close friend, first lady Sophie Trudeau, had been diagnosed with coronavirus after arriving home from a trip to London. The couple had left their baby son in Canada while they made their “farewell tour” of the UK over coronavirus fears.
Mrs. Trudeau remains in isolation for the time being, and her husband will also undergo two weeks of isolation. A source close to Meghan and Harry told The Post: “Right now Meghan and Harry are just concerned for the health and safety of others. These are scary times and they are more worried about what is happening in the world than what’s next for them.”
It’s not known whether the pair saw Mrs. Trudeau while in London.
According to the Sun’s report, the move from Canada — dubbed Megxit 2 — has “stunned and horrified members of the Royal Family,” who had hoped Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, would eventually return to Britain.
A growing health crisis has seen Prince Charles, 71, test positive for COVID-19 and the Queen, 93, and ailing Prince Philip, 98, put into self-isolation.