Meghan Markle’s Low-Key Easter Shopping Trip In A Small Montecito Toy Store Quickly Turns Into A Heated Online Debate — BUT One Specific Item She Quietly Purchased For Her Children Has Now Sparked Intense Reactions, With Critics Questioning Whether It Was A Genuine Nostalgic Choice Or A Carefully Curated Move Designed To Shape Her “Relatable Mom” Image In A Way That Feels Far More Strategic Than It First Appeared

 Meghan browsed a family-owned toy store in Montecito, where a source tells PEOPLE she chatted with staff and selected gifts for her children and godchildren

Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE, covering modern monarchies and the world’s most famous families. Like the late Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment

Meghan Markle visits a toy store in Montecito, California on April 1, 2026.Credit : Karl Larsen / BACKGRID

NEED TO KNOW

• Meghan Markle was spotted shopping for toys in Montecito on April 1
• The Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry are raising Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in California after stepping back from royal roles
• Meghan previously told PEOPLE about how the Montecito community has embraced and protected her family’s desire for a normal life

Meghan Markle is gearing up for Easter with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

On April 1, the Duchess of Sussex, 44, was spotted browsing a local family-owned toy store in Montecito, California, the Santa Barbara enclave where she lives with Prince Harry and their two kids.

Meghan bought Magic Rabbit playing cards and Magic Castle Sea Monkeys during the low-key outing, where she wore a white baseball cap paired with a coordinating Hermès scarf — a gift from Harry — along with a Zara trench coat, jeans and Loro Piana flats.

“She was picking up Easter gifts for her kids and her godchildren,” a source tells PEOPLE. “She was there for a while, talking to the staff and making selections.”

Sea monkeys were popular for children between the 1960s and 1990s, making the toy a fun throwback buy, and she left her shopping trip with two large paper bags.