Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have bought a house in Santa Barbara, owning their own home for the first time.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had been living in Tyler Perry's $18 million Beverly Hills mansion free of charge while house hunting.

In July they finally sealed the deal on a new family home in the California seaside community, which is also home to friends Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres.

The move follows run-ins with the paparazzi in Los Angeles which saw them make repeated calls to the police about drone activity. They were also chased by photographers while out in their car.

A spokesperson for the couple said: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved into their family home in July of this year.

"They have settled into the quiet privacy of their community since their arrival and hope that this will be respected for their neighbors, as well as for them as a family."

Within the royal family, they had lived at Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace, and Frogmore Cottage on Queen Elizabeth II's estate in Windsor.