Prince Harry 'Found His Vibe' in California But 'Does Miss Home,' Says Friend

Prince Harry is "settled" in California.

The Duke of Sussex relocated with his wife, Meghan Markle, to her home state in 2020 after they stepped back from their royal roles. After spending some time at Tyler Perry's Los Angeles home, they purchased a house in Montecito.

"Harry has definitely found his vibe and is very settled in California. But he does miss home," Meghan's friend and makeup artist Daniel Martin says in this week's cover story.

During the couple's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, before they welcomed daughter Princess Lilibet, Harry opened up about the couple's move to California with son Prince Archie.

"To have outdoor space where I can go for walks with Archie and we go for walks as a family and with the dogs. You know, we go on hikes or go down to the beach, which is so close," he said.

Prince Harry played polo on a team at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club last summer, and he's mastered his In-N-Out Burger order ("two double-doubles, animal style, fries and a Coke!").

Meghan, 41, and Prince Harry, 38, were recently asked to vacate their U.K. home, Frogmore Cottage, by King Charles.

A source previously told PEOPLE that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are "matter-of-fact" about leaving Frogmore Cottage and aren't trying to overturn the decision. The source added that Prince Harry and Meghan are happy to raise their two children in California.

Prince Harry was in London to attend a court case in March, and he will attend King Charles' coronation on May 6. However, Meghan will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet — and celebrate Archie's 4th birthday, which falls on the same day as the crowning ceremony, with a "low-key party at home."

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"It's an elegant solution," royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith, author of George VI and Elizabeth: The Marriage That Saved the Monarchy, tells PEOPLE, adding that Archie's birthday "gave them a reasonable out for Meghan not to come." But those closest to the couple know that the media backlash Meghan faced in the U.K. during Queen Elizabeth's funeral last year — and in the months since — played a significant role in her decision not to come.

"Meghan wants to be there to support her father-in-law, but at the same time, the scrutiny she receives outweighs the support," a close friend says.