Buyer found for Toronto house where Meghan Markle lived

Agent doesn’t expect ‘princess premium’ because Harry visited

TORONTO — A buyer has been found for the Toronto house where Prince Harry and Suits actor Meghan Markle spent time before announcing their engagement last month.

Real estate agent Alex Beauregard said the two-storey, three-bedroom house — which Markle rented for two years — had drawn a lot of interest since it was listed last week, at $1.395 million.

Beauregard said he could not reveal the selling price until a cheque from the buyer has been deposited.

The sellers began taking offers at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

Markle, who is from Los Angeles but has lived part time in Toronto since 2011, and the British royal announced their engagement on Nov. 27 after a courtship that involved visits on both side of the pond.

Markle is best known for her role as paralegal Rachel Zane on the USA Network hit Suits, which is filmed in Toronto.

The actor and Prince Harry plan to tour Britain over the next six months to give Markle an opportunity to learn about the country before their May wedding in the chapel at Windsor Castle, and as she prepares to move into Kensington Palace.

Beauregard, an agent with Freeman Real Estate Ltd., said the added curiosity surrounding the engagement drew 150 people to its open house last weekend. That’s roughly 50 per cent more visitors than at a similar showing in the neighbourhood, he said.

Beauregard said many of those were “looky-loo” viewers with a royal fascination. About 20 appeared to be prospective buyers.

“We had a person walking through asking too many questions about: ‘Did Prince Harry use this table and this chair?’ … You can figure out fairly quickly who is serious,” he said.

The sellers, former Flare magazine fashion editor Elizabeth Cabral and Kevin O’Neill, had three registered offers and Beauregard said he expected them to select from among 10 to 15 offers.

Still, the real estate agent said he didn’t expect to get a premium on the sale of the house in the tony Seaton Village neighbourhood in Toronto’s west end.

“I don’t feel like we’re going to see a princess premium,” he said.

“Would you pay an extra $20,000 because the prince used this washroom? I don’t think most people would pay a premium.”

This two-storey, three-bedroom Toronto house — which Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s fiancée, rented for two years — has drawn a lot of interest since it was listed last week at $1.395 million.