Before she became the Duchess of Sussex and began living at Frogmore Cottage with Prince Harry and her baby Archie, Meghan Markle lived and worked in Los Angeles. She resided with her partner and then husband Trevor Engelson until their separation and subsequent divorce in 2013. During that time, it is reported that Engelson and Markle lived in a four bedroom, three bathroom property in Los Angeles’ Hancock Park neighborhood. Now this property is on the market, with an initial asking price of $1.8 million. The Bienstock Group is proud to be handling this listing, a part of perhaps this century’s most engaging British Royal Family story.
Inside Meghan Markle’s Former Los Angeles Home
The 2,262-square foot colonial style home for sale grants an illuminating insight into the design sensibilities of the Duchess of Sussex. Despite being built in 1924, it caters to a highly modern aesthetic, utilizing a clean, neutral palette, with natural hardwood flooring to create a sense of unity throughout the home. The open floor plan provides a sense of airiness and maximizes the space on the lower of the property’s two stories. The living room (complete with fireplace) opens to both the dining room and family room, making it an ideal property for entertaining. There is also a breakfast nook, and the dining area opens onto a stone porch. The modest kitchen is nevertheless designed for efficiency, being well-equipped with two stoves and a large stainless steel fridge. It also features marble countertops and white cabinets with gold-coloured fixtures.
Upstairs, four of the three bedrooms are ensuite, with one featuring a Jack-and-Jill style setup. Each enjoys light hardwood floors and an abundance of natural light, continuing the property’s predilection for neutral tones that reinforce the cleanliness and airy space of the home. The upstairs also benefit from two remodeled bathrooms contributing to the general modernity of the property. The overall feel of the place is a welcoming ambiance that makes much of its allotted space, with opportunities to capitalize on should development be on your mind.
Meghan Markle’s Former Hancock Park, Los Angeles Home Town
Hancock Park is a neighborhood fit for a duchess. One of the least densely populated neighborhoods in Los Angeles in spite of its central location, the Hancock Park homeowners association counted 1,200 homes within its jurisdiction in 2007, and the city estimates it has a population of approximately 10,600. This is no doubt attributable in part to the presence of the large Wilshire Country Club in the north half of the neighborhood. The area breaks moderately diverse and older than average, as LA County goes. It is notable for its high population of Orthodox Jewish residents and its general high level of education. Many consuls general have their residences in Hancock Park, including the Los Angeles British Consuls-General. In an interesting quirk of fate, Prince William and Kate Middleton stayed at the British Consuls-General in July 2011, within miles of where their future sister-in-law was living.
Hancock Park: Former Neighborhood of the Duchess of Sussex
Hancock Park’s location makes it highly convenient for those in the entertainment industry, as it’s proximal to Paramount Studios, among other television and movie studios. As a result, it’s a neighborhood many celebrities choose to live in, such as George Takei, Milla Jovovich, Armie Hammer, James Spader, and Antonio Banderas. The area is relatively safe by Central Los Angeles standards, with few violent crimes. Nevertheless, the property features decorative wrought iron security bars to protect the property and convey the impression of safety. While the area’s low population density and abundant green space protects it from much of the air pollution that Los Angeles as a whole experiences, it does experience some congestion through the neighborhood, owing in part to the 1986 Congressional interdiction on tunneling through to extend the Metro underground train system along Wilshire Boulevard. This is likely to be ameliorated with the coming expansion of the Metro Purple Line, scheduled to open its Wilshire/Fairfax station in Hancock Park’s southwest corner in 2023, which will continue to offset the necessity of automobile-based commutes to the city’s professional nexuses of Beverly Hills, Westwood, Century City, and Mid-Wilshire on the Westside.
Potential Developments for Meghan Markle’s Old Los Angeles House
Looking at the property as it stands, there are striking opportunities to personalize the place and make it your own. The well-maintained, substantial, but relatively featureless yard space lends itself to more effective use. The rear garage could easily be converted to a backhouse for let, or even a photography or recording studio. A swimming pool could be exactly the additional touch needed to add extra flair to events at the home. Alternatively, an expansion to create a larger, more open kitchen space would undoubtedly give the home extra cachet and utility.
View Hancock Park Homes with The Bienstock Group
The Bienstock Group is a Los Angeles real estate firm that specializes in premier residential real estate. With more than a decade’s experience and multiple accolades and awards from industry organizations and independent media, we can bend our considerable expertise and thorough knowledge of the local neighborhoods to the benefit of our clients. Our mentality of service above all ensures that we deliver an exceptional experience for the buyers and sellers that we represent. ‘We Love What We Do’ are our company motto, but if you spend five minutes with any of our representatives, you should be able to deduce that independently. Clients frequently note our white glove service and incredible attention to detail as we guide them through the byzantine world of Los Angeles real estate. We will help you get the deal that is best for your situation and schedule and guide you through inspections and closing. In short, we’re in your corner from start until finish. Each partnership with a client is founded on our values of excellent communication, radical transparency, and genuine affection and respect. To talk to us about the Hancock Park property detailed above, you can call us on 323-332-1985.
