What Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview revealed about their life in California: Chicken coops, bike rides and beach walks

The nature of the Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey may have been explosive, but their Californian surroundings were calming and idyllic.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat down with the veteran US interviewer to detail their tumultuous time as senior members of the British royal family, the abuse they faced at the hands of the British media and the toll it took on their mental health.

After their split from the British monarchy, they moved stateside, via a short stint in Canada, eventually settling in a $14 million home in Montecito, California, which they moved into in July 2020.

The gate of the estate where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have their house, in Montecito, California. AFP

However, the bulk of the interview took place from the home of a friend of the couple in nearby Santa Barbara, as the large garden was able to offer them complete privacy. While it has not been confirmed, the Daily Mirror reported that the interview took place from the home of Gayle King, a veteran journalist and close friend of Winfrey.

King has not confirmed reports, but she did reveal to CBS This Morning after weeks of speculation that the interview was not filmed at the couple's residence and was instead "taped at a friend's home".

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a chicken coop filled with rescue hens on the grounds of their Californian home. CBS

However, Harry and Meghan did share a rare glimpse of their home during the interview – the most insight the pair have offered into their new life in the US since leaving the UK.

As part of the CBS special, the couple invited the CBS cameras into their home for a quick tour, which revealed that the family have a chicken coop filled with rescue hens in their back garden, sweetly named "Archie's Chick Inn", after their son, aged 22 months.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex are expecting their second child together. Reuters

Over the past few months, the pair have only shared small glimpses of their home, with Zoom backgrounds, Illustrated holiday cards showing Archie playing in a wooden summer house and their recent photo announcing their pregnancy, which was shot in their sprawling garden.

The pair also revealed how their new home has offered them a semblance of the normal family life a young Prince Harry was unable to enjoy growing up in the UK.

Towards the end of the two-hour conversation, Oprah asked the Duke what he now found pleasure in.

"This year has been crazy for everybody," he said. "But to have outdoor space where I can go for walks with Archie and as a family, with the dogs; to go for hikes or go down to the beach ... the highlight for me is sticking him on the back of a bicycle in his little bathing suit and taking him on these bike rides, something I was never able to do when I was young."

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Company name: BorrowMe (

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Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.

Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.

Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.

SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.

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* Nada El Sawy