Celebrity insiders in the California town where Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, made their American home after leaving the UK and their Royal Duties, have begun whispering about the pair's recent spate of solo public appearances.

Montecito's glossiest gossip magazine, a must-read for the star-studded community in the upmarket seaside enclave of Southern California, typically boasts features on local planning aquabbles, high-society events, neighbourhood happenings and the odd snippet of crime news. Yet, its 'Grapevine' gossip column could be spicing up morning routines for two illustrious members of the locale with chatter about "speculation" over their relationship after each attended several individual engagements.

The author of the Montecito Journal column, Richard Mineards, worked for years as a Royal reported for a variety of British tabloids, but swapped his beat for America 13 years ago to contribute to the Montecito Journal. His latest piece details Prince Harry's solo trek to the WellChild Awards in the UK capital, alongside Meghan Markle’s chat at Girls Inc, where she lamented being "one of the most bullied people in the world".

Mineards notes: "It was her second public appearance without Harry since her visit to Children's Hospital Los Angeles on October 5 – as Royal pundits ponder whether the Riven Rock couple 'are going their separate ways', then going on to highlight that they are living 'increasingly separate lives'."

For Meghan and Harry, who reside in Montecito's Riven Rock with their children Archie and Lillibet, the buzz about their "separate lives", coined by a respected regional writer, may not go down well with their morning tea, reports the Mirror.

Richard Mineards, a veteran journalist with a background at the Daily Mirror and Daily Mail, now working as a news anchor for CBS in the US, has previously revealed that King Charles stays informed about his son's family through the Journal's website.

In addition to sharing exclusive Royal updates, Mineards' 'Grapevine' column also reports on recent celebrity sightings in the area, including Katy Perry, Cameron Diaz with her partner Benji Madden, Oprah Winfrey, and Orlando Bloom.

He consistently concludes his lively column with his signature farewell: "Pip! Pip! ".