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(Bob Daemmrich)
Tesla CEO and recent Texas transplant Elon Musk has surpassed Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to become the wealthiest person in the world, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index.
<p>"How strange," the South African entrepreneur tweeted on Thursday in response to the news.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a82a3a075a3afeb5c95b9745eb140613" id="319ad"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1347204459147902978"><div style="margin:1em 0">@teslaownersSV How strange</div> — Elon Musk (@Elon Musk)<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/statuses/1347204459147902978">1610033547.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Musk is now worth $188.5 billion, compared to Bezos' $187 billion, thanks to Tesla's rising stock prices, which have increased nearly 750% since 2019.<br/></p><p>As a result, Musk's net worth has skyrocketed over the last year in <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-06/musk-close-to-surpassing-bezos-as-world-s-richest-person#:~:text=Elon%20Musk%2C%20the%20outspoken%20entrepreneur,the%20world's%20500%20wealthiest%20people." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">what Bloomberg called</a> "possibly the fastest bout of wealth creation in history."</p><p>Musk, who is also the CEO of SpaceX, Neuralink and the Boring Company, <a href="https://austonia.com/elon-musk-texas-move" target="_self">announced last month</a> that he had moved to Texas from California. Austin realtor Cord Shiflet <a href="https://austonia.com/elon-musk-moving-to-austin" target="_blank">confirmed to Austonia</a> that Musk and his representatives have been touring area properties.</p><p>Musk cited his two biggest projects—the forthcoming $1.1 billion Tesla Gigafactory in Southeast Travis County and the Starship prototype that SpaceX is developing in South Tesla—as reasons for the move. </p><p>Last year, Musk chafed against COVID-19 regulations in the state of California, where Tesla operates a factory, and threatened to move the company's headquarters. </p><p>There is also the issue of taxes.</p><p>California has the highest income tax rate of any state in the country. Texas, on the other hand, has none. By relocating, Musk could save potentially <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2020/12/04/elon-musk-tells-close-friends-he-plans-to-move-to-texas.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">billions of dollars</a> in taxes on his Tesla compensation package. </p><p>Assuming the five-county Austin metro has a median annual income of $71,576 and a population of 2.23 million people, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, Musk's net worth is greater than the annual income of the entire metro population. </p><p><br/></p><p><strong>More on Elon Musk:</strong></p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/elon-musk-moving-to-austin" target="_self">Exclusive: Where will Elon Musk move? He says 'Texas,' sources say 'Austin'</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDc3NjU0MS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMDcwMDY2NX0.ZucXY0th0eYgaV_uoBjTY-ycUDzJYJfhykZm-opZLt4/img.jpg?width=980" id="daebc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ee01cca28bb67270517989498c000103" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Elon Musk tells friends he is moving to Texas. Could he land in Austin?
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Celebrities who've moved to Austin this year and who can be expected to move in 2021
31 December 2020
Despite the pandemic, 2020 really put Austin on the map, popularizing it as an up-and-coming hub for young professionals, startups and celebrities from big cities across the U.S.
<p>In fact, Austin's A-list is steadily growing. Well-known Austinites like Willie Nelson, Matthew McConaughey and Kendra Scott have been singing the praises of the weirdest city in Texas for years now, but 2020 brought some new arrivals and 2021 is ready for more.</p><p>So who moved to Austin in 2020?</p>
<p>Here's to a famously fabulous 2021 in ATX! <br/></p>
Joe Rogan
<div id="055ce" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="706a1f4c8305e245c7c32f123497060b"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEe5iVmAd0a/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>In a $100 million deal with Spotify, podcast host, devil's advocate and iconoclast Joe Rogan uprooted his Los Angeles setup and moved it to Austin in July. Since then, Rogan has been making waves around Austin in every which way. From setting up his <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-businesses-behind-the-joe-rogan-studio-2647571718/particle-4" target="_self">spaceship-like studio</a> to having <a href="https://austonia.com/joe-rogan-visits-the-governors-mansion?q=joe%2Brogan" target="_self">drinks with Greg Abbott</a> in the Governor's Mansion, Rogan has made himself at home in the Lone Star State.</p>James Van Der Beek
<div id="5fc23" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7ad29b68950bd597a96dfb484dcc9b6f"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CI_Nul5ja3p/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>After a difficult year in 2019, "Dawson's Creek" actor James Van Der Beek traded in his "concrete jungle" in Beverly Hills for the luscious hill country. Van Der Beek, his wife and all five kids loaded up and moved to a 36-acre compound just outside of Austin in October… after a 10-day road trip to see the sights along the route from California to Texas.</p>Elon Musk (Probably)
<div id="7d649" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="96ad07a69c453bfc19bfcfb66d30d418"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1285438910357622789" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Das baby kann noch keinen löffel benutzen https://t.co/UETqVIA4BP</div> — Elon Musk (@Elon Musk)<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/statuses/1285438910357622789">1595307493.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Though Musk confirmed he now lives in Texas, the tech mogul still has yet to confirm his move to Austin and is notorious for his need for privacy. With Tesla's Gigafactory and the Elon Musk Foundation putting down roots in Austin, it just makes sense to see him here. Multiple sources confirmed to Austonia earlier this month, <a href="https://austonia.com/elon-musk-moving-to-austin" target="_blank">Musk was looking at Austin homes</a> to live in.</p><p>Even though few celebrities have confirmed a 2021 Austin emigration, there are a few leads. Here's who is or could be coming to the capital city in 2021:</p>Chris Harrison
<div id="e5ace" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="45d0e2bfa9b0c872eb906d95cb72c207"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJZl4FrAgck/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>Distressing fans of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" everywhere, reports that Chris Harrison is moving to Austin have surfaced, revealing the "humble servant and host to Bachelor Nation" is <a href="https://austonia.com/chris-harrison-austin" target="_self">building a house</a> in the Barton Creek area. Fear not, Bachelor fans, Harrison has reportedly said he is not leaving the show.</p>Debby Ryan and Joshua Dun
<div id="91ddc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7898774913a0ef298920dd59f44a71d5"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJHi7t0AQxK/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>Newlyweds Debby Ryan, actress and former Disney star, and Joshua Dun, drummer for Twenty-One Pilots have made some important decisions in Austin—like holding their impromptu wedding right here in Travis County. Ryan spent several years living in Texas during her childhood and Dun, an Ohio-native, said Austin was "tight" on Facebook in 2016. Seems like a match made in heaven.</p>Parker Posey
<div id="ab2d0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="15f5850493d39ec0416edc906d43ab38"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CD2U_PxFk-d/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>When the "Dazed and Confused" alumna hosted the Texas Film Festival at Austin Studios back in March, the pandemic had scarcely begun. The indie movie actress is well-acquainted with Austin, having shot several movies here, she'd fit right in. She said she loves Austin so much, she would even be happy quarantining here. Plus, she was pictured in front of a longhorn in August. Coincidence?</p>The Queer Eye Fab 5
<div id="c5f1f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bf5e91d57affb90df2527cf4c6f090f2"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"> </div></div><p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9mupqrAW2O/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top"></a></p> </div></blockquote></div><p>In true Austin fashion, the Fab 5 announced via El Arroyo's famous sign that they would be filming season six of "Queer Eye" here in the capital city. In fact, Jonathan Van Ness, the hair expert on the show, has allegedly been living in Austin since the production of the show was put on pause—he even adopted a dog from Austin Pets Alive!. Though the other fab guys are happily living across the U.S., the gang would all be right at home here.</p>
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(Shutterstock)
Amid rumors of leaving the show, longtime "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" host Chris Harrison is moving to Austin.
<p><a href="https://pagesix.com/2020/12/29/chris-harrison-is-moving-to-texas-fueling-bachelor-exit-rumors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Page Six</a> first broke the news this week that Harrison is building a home in the Barton Creek area. In light of this news, fan theories from this summer regarding Harrison leaving the franchise have been brought back for many of the show's regular viewers.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="08dc7ac96acafecd30fc0fda16a3b553" id="8b882"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1344151926640762881"><div style="margin:1em 0">So what is this about @chrisbharrison moving to Austin and possibly leaving ABC? No one can replace him🥺🥺🥺 #BachelorNation</div> — Kaseba_Chibweth (@Kaseba_Chibweth)<a href="https://twitter.com/chibweth_kaseba/statuses/1344151926640762881">1609305767.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Gossip of his possible departure first came after he would missed several episodes this past season of "The Bachelorette" to see his son off to college in his hometown of Dallas; he was temporarily replaced by season 12 Bachelorette Jojo Fletcher. It marked the first time Harrison had missed any taping in his 20 years hosting the franchise, leading to the rumor he will be making his exit soon.<br/></p><p>Despite the fear Bachelor Nation may lose its most prominent figure, Harrison has been very outspoken with his plans for the new season of "The Bachelor" and the rest of 2021. </p><p>It appears his move to the Lone Star State has quite a bit to do with the Dallas-based brewery, Steam Theory Brewing Company, he is an investor in. He follows various celebrities that are trading the bustling California life for the Hill Country like <a href="https://austonia.com/james-van-der-beek-moves-to-texas" target="_blank">James Van Der Beek</a>, <a href="https://austonia.com/joe-rogan-lakehouse-austin" target="_blank">Joe Rogan</a> and possibly <a href="https://austonia.com/elon-musk-moving-to-austin" target="_blank">Elon Musk</a>.</p><p>Former Bachelor contestant Nick Viall chimed in on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJZl4FrAgck/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to remind fans Chris Harrison can do his job from anywhere.</p><p>"Pretty sure he can do his job if he lived on Mars," he wrote. "Fear not Bachelor Nation. Daddy Harrison is going nowhere."</p><p><strong>More on celebrities:</strong></p>
<h2><a href="https://austonia.com/harry-and-meghan-austin" target="_self">Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be the next A-listers to move to Austin, Texas</a></h2>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDgyODE1Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MDI4OTk5Mn0.x-8fsagxIGK3b-zSatKoBjA41_Jjj1jh7Js_ETUdhus/img.png?width=980" id="49d8d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fe6eeb178706f37a4d9f90324b2ac1fc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be the next A-listers to move to Austin, Texas
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Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be the next A-listers to move to Austin, Texas
23 December 2020
Now that the Sussexes' English home, Frogmore Cottage, has been cleaned out in the dead of night and apparently rented to Harry's cousin, Princess Eugenie, it looks like the Duke and Duchess' move to the New World is one they're 100% committed to. In the words of the British tabloid press, "Megxit" is complete.
<p>The two have started their new life in the States, recently signing a deal with Spotify for their podcast to come out next year and launching their audio company, Archwell Audio. Moving across the pond, announcing a new podcast, it seems they've taken control of a new life. So now the question begs to be asked, what else is in store for the royal couple?</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="232" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed-podcast/episode/2RfvSuWxcoyweXhNSeTbMR" width="100%"></iframe></div><p>There's absolutely no reason, not even a shred of a rumor, to think the Sussexes are contemplating a move to the Lone Star State, or its capital city. But they wouldn't be the first to scrawl GTT (Gone To Texas) on their front door, hitch up the wagon and depart for greener pastures like multi-millionaire dollar podcast Joe Rogan recently did.<br/></p><p data-children-count="0">Here's why they should.</p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Money</strong></p><p data-children-count="0">Harry's blood may be blue, but his household runs on the green stuff, and it always seems like there's never enough—even for the rich.</p><p data-children-count="0">Harry's net worth is an estimated $40 million and Meghan's at $5 million, according to <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/a20745405/prince-harry-net-worth/#:~:text=The%20royal%20family's%20net%20worth,lay%20claim%20is%20much%20smaller." target="_blank">a wealth tracking site</a>. That may be so, but it's possible to be worth a lot on paper while also short on cash. Much of Harry's worth is tied up in royal trusts that payout over a period of many years.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ccf4388f4cb008fee325a2953a8ab9e0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="13c34" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk5MDQyMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0ODE4NTk2NX0.cYvsWYHSGDxsj6A_tJLgnfKA-LrE3YKgSJfm1SNtW78/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Montecito, California (CC)</small></p><p><br/></p><p data-children-count="0">Take real estate for example. Everyone knows about their $14.65 million home purchase in Montecito, California, a small town on the edge of Santa Barbara. It's a favorite of Hollywood types like Ellen, Oprah, Rob, Gwyneth, Katy, and George (Lucas). </p><p data-children-count="0"> But did you know the former royals took out a mortgage to buy the place? $9.5 million of borrowed money, reportedly. And <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/galleries/article-8624963/Prince-Harry-Meghan-Markle-face-eye-watering-bills-4-4-million-new-home.html" target="_blank">the Daily Mail estimates the property may cost them over $4 million a year to maintain</a>. Wow. You don't have to be a mathematician to figure out that their estimated combined $45 million isn't going to last long unless they come up with some sort of side hustle. Meghan used to make beer money doing calligraphy, but there aren't enough hours in the day to address $4 million worth of wedding invitations for wealthy brides who will pay for perfect penmanship.</p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Taxes</strong></p><p data-children-count="0">So they'll find Netflix deals and speaking engagements and other ways to make a buck, but making it is one thing and keeping it is another. That's where Texas shines. The state's zero personal income tax compares favorably with California's big-and-getting-bigger tax bite. </p><p data-children-count="0"> The Golden State's top rate is over 13%, and a cash-strapped state government is considering an extra "millionaires tax" and possibly a "wealth tax" on assets, in addition to possibly raising the base rate. The Sussexes, in a hypothetical $10 million income year, would pay a minimum of $1.3 million in taxes to California. In Texas, they'd pay nothing. </p><p data-children-count="0">With $1.3 million in yearly savings, that's enough to finance <a href="https://www.netjets.com/en-us/" target="_blank">regular private jet flights</a> to visit friends in LA, with enough left over to establish a college fund for their son, Archie.</p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>More Taxes</strong></p><p data-children-count="0">The bigger problem for the Prince is that if he becomes a California resident, <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a32008083/prince-harry-taxes-immigration-us-la/" target="_blank">the state may try to impose its high tax rates on all of his income</a>, even income earned from his royal trusts in England. There's no hard-and-fast rule for determining residency, but a detailed analysis can be found <a href="https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2019/2019-1031-publication.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p data-children-count="0">Enough of that. Let's get to the fun stuff.</p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Nicknames</strong></p><p data-children-count="0">California's not a nickname place. Sure, some people have names like Moonbeam and Dweezil but those are their actual names. </p><p data-children-count="0">In Texas, lots of people go by acquired monikers, from the nickname-dispensing former President George W. Bush ("43" or "W") to beloved homeless Austinite, known simply as "Leslie," a wandering, cross-dressing activist.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ebf5b6613da481a3d9f5b3edf409caf6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="e78f0" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk5MDQwNi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NTQ1MjMyMH0.hxJIL-PC3g6Y56DjAICPuMwDS1CBdkeelTGShGXzSY4/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">(CC)</small></p><p><br/></p><p data-children-count="0">Why does this matter for Meghan and Harry?</p><p data-children-count="0">Because their names are not really Meghan and Harry. <br/></p><p data-children-count="0">Meghan's name is Rachel. Rachel Markle. Meghan is her middle name, which she utilized when she became an actress. </p><p data-children-count="0">Prince Harry's name is more complex. He's known by various names in various capacities:</p><ul data-children-count="0"><li>Henry Charles Albert David Mountbatten-Windsor (his given name)</li><li>The Duke of Sussex</li><li>His Royal Highness</li><li>The Earl of Dumbarton (in Scotland)</li><li>Baron Kilkeel (in Northern Ireland)</li><li>Captain Harry Wales (British Army)</li></ul><p data-children-count="0"><strong>History</strong></p><p data-children-count="0">History is on Meghan's side. Not the English kind, dating from 1066 and all that, but her history of good times and fitting in, in Texas. Check out her <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/meghan-markle-airport-outfit-chanel-bag-celebrity-street-style" target="_blank">2017 Austin airport arrival for the Suits 100th episode cast party</a>. </p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f415da48ae9c18a1b99601b662e1cf9e" id="4c255"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="874210187464364032"><div style="margin:1em 0">MEGHAN MARKLE Out in Austin 06/10/2017 https://t.co/ulVAFW0J72 https://t.co/npTiKh0MPo</div> — Celebrities Pictures (@Celebrities Pictures)<a href="https://twitter.com/HqCelebpics2k9/statuses/874210187464364032">1497262925.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Meghan is pitch-perfect Austin—stylishly torn jeans, sandals, casual white shirt, perfect movie star sunglasses, easy hairstyle and hat in hand. She could be on her way to the Four Seasons, the Oasis or Rainey Street in her attire. Joe Rogan and even Matthew McConaughey could learn some things from Meghan Markle, like how to look effortlessly casual while showcasing taste and style.<br/></p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Sports and Outdoors</strong></p><p data-children-count="0">Harry follows the royal tradition of loving sports and the outdoors. If Netflix's "The Crown" is a credible source, even the Queen is nowhere happier than wandering the misty hills of her 50,000 acre Balmoral Estate in muddy "outdoor shoes," stalking deer and shooting grouse. There's talk that, to please Meghan, Harry has sold his guns and stopped hunting, an activity that's generally not accepted in California's coastal culture.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c57c500c87422b0f96590323e643dd7b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="75945" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk5MDkzOC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTQwMTg5OX0.1k0PkONAClZiyNBl65uFXUiAMN9CvuAmvMWRXniTL6g/img.png?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Shutterstock)</small></p><p><br/></p><p data-children-count="0">But it may be hard for Harry to give up a sport he's pursued all his life. He's hunted throughout Britain, Europe, South America and Africa, and, like most of the royals, was a fox hunter until the sport was banned in England in 2005.</p><p data-children-count="0">If Harry wants to pick up the sport again, he'll fit in perfectly in Texas, where hunting is a traditional activity. The Texas Hill Country, adjacent to Austin and San Antonio, is packed with hunting ranches offering native and exotic species. With the similarities between African and Texan terrains and climates, many African species can be seen throughout Texas, including endangered species that are <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2016/11/03/big-bucks-in-wildlife-ten-endangered-species.html" target="_blank">bred and sold on exotic game ranches</a>.</p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Weirdness</strong></p><p data-children-count="0">It's debatable whether Austin is really weird anymore. It's unique, with a culture of its own that's distinct from other cities, but how weird can things be in a land of $15 hamburgers and a median Central Austin home price of $625,000?</p><p data-children-count="0">Still, weirdness is tolerated here and even embraced, perhaps as a treasured symbol of what was. A dying ember of our central civic archetype. <br/></p><p data-children-count="0">Prince Harry, Meghan and Archie, as perfect and utterly conventional as they appear, are definitely weird—walking away from a life of effortless privilege, universal fame, vast wealth and access to anyone or anything that interests them. They've left it all to wallow, although at the top levels, in an ordinary world where we have to figure out how to pay the bills, find friends and create meaning in our lives.</p>
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