A man suspected of stalking Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was arrested outside the couple’s Montecito, California home early Monday morning.
The security team at the mansion placed the suspected stalker under citizen’s arrest. The incident occurred around 2 am on Monday, May 15, when the security team noticed 29-year-old Kevin Garcia Valdovinos, lurking outside the property. They notified the Santa Barbara Police Department, who then took him into custody.
Reports reveal that Valdovinos was released on bail after the Santa Barbara Police Department processed him for misdemeanor stalking charges, setting his bond at $2,500. An unsettling revelation is that this was not the first encounter with the law for Valdovinos on stalking allegations, sparking further concerns over the couple’s security.
The timing of the incident leaves unanswered questions about the safety of the couple and their family, as it is currently unclear whether they were at home during the time of the intrusion. Prince Harry, Meghan, and their two children were reported to be in New York City on Tuesday evening, attending a charity event.
The couple has been residing in the Montecito mansion since 2020, a lavish property spread across 5.4 acres with an 18,000-square-foot mansion, purchased at a cost of $14.5 million.
Security threats have been a persistent issue for the royal couple. Over the past year, law enforcement had to respond to nine separate incidents at their residence. On five of these occasions, the mansion’s alarm system was triggered, underscoring the validity of their concerns. The security dilemma of the couple became public knowledge during a revealing interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they disclosed that their financial support from Buckingham Palace was severed after they stepped down from their royal duties.
Despite the financial cut-off, Harry and Meghan have managed to secure their safety by leveraging their global popularity. Their security expenses are covered by income from their partnerships with Netflix and Spotify, which are reportedly valued at $100 million and $25 million, respectively. Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” has also significantly contributed to their financial security, grossing him $20 million and setting a record for the fastest-selling non-fiction book on its release date. However, despite their self-sufficiency and the wealth they have amassed, the recent security breach underscores the ongoing threat they face in their day-to-day lives.