A few months before her death, Princess Diana was excitedly planning a move to Malibu, California, according to her butler and voice coach (open in new tab). Princess Diana had recently begun dating businessman Dodi Fido, who had just purchased his own property in the area. Former butler Paul Burrell said, "This is our new life, isn't it great, the lifestyle and the boys." (opens in new tab) The late princess's dream of leaving the royal family and moving to California is closely mirrored in her son's life: last year, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, made their home in Montecito (opens in new tab), about an hour down the California coast from Malibu They chose to make their home in Montecito (opens in new tab), about an hour down the California coast from Malibu.

Burrell says: "[The house] was going to be in Malibu. We sat on the floor and spread out all the maps and the layout of the house. The boys, who were 12 and 15 at the time, were based in England at the time, but Diana shared joint custody with her father, Prince Charles. "If the queen had said, 'No, you can't go to America,' that would have been very stiff and stubborn."

Speaking to Us Weekly, Diana's former voice coach, Stewart Pierce (open in new tab), supported Burrell's claim, saying: she was talking about buying property in Malibu so her sons could have the freedom to surf was "really great." They are both very sporty, so they can surf, rollerblade, and play Frisbee."

Of course, Harry and Meghan have other California connections: Meghan grew up in Hollywood and her mother, Doria Ragland, lives nearby. Meghan grew up in Hollywood, and her mother, Doria Ragland, lives nearby. In an interview with Oprah, Harry and Meghan said they love living in California: "I guess the highlight for me is putting [Archie] in his little baby seat and sticking him on the back of my bike and taking him cycling.

"Living here now, I can actually lift my head up, my shoulders drop, her shoulders drop, and I can walk around feeling a little more free," he said on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast.

A source told Vogue (open in new tab) at the time they moved: "Harry loves California, but they were both drawn to a small town called Santa Barbara."