Royal Watchers Seize on One 'Jaw-Dropping' Feature of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's $29 Million Mansion to Urge Them to Cut Back on Their Spending

OK! can reveal Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's $29 million Montecito mansion has become the focus of renewed scrutiny after royal watchers seized on one feature – its 16 bathrooms – to urge the couple to rein in what critics call excessive spending.

Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, purchased the nine-bedroom estate in the celebrity enclave of Montecito, Calif., in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties.

The property, now said to be worth $29 million, is home to their two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4.

Set on sprawling grounds, the mansion includes an outdoor pool, tennis court, wine cellar, spa room and expansive children's play area.

But it was a recent social media video highlighting the home's 16 bathrooms that has prompted a flurry of fresh commentary over the pair's lifestyle, with fans saying it shows the pair have chosen to live "way beyond their means."

One insider told us: "The reaction has been jaw-dropping. People are less interested in the palm trees or the spa and more stunned by the idea of 16 toilets for a family of four. It has reignited worries Meghan and Harry they are living on a scale that feels out of step with the possibilities of their future income. The upkeep on that house must be a fortune, and the staff must be huge. To keep up the amount of money coming in required to maintain that property is a massive pressure, even for a multi-millionaire."

One online commentator commented: "Wow – nine bedrooms and 16 toilets. Really???!!!!"

Another added: "Why would they need all that? Living above their means for no purpose."

A source familiar with the property defended the layout.

They said: "When you look at properties in that price bracket in California, especially in places like Montecito, the number of bathrooms is typically high. Large estates are designed with entertaining and self-contained amenities in mind. If you have multiple guest suites, each is almost always equipped with its own en suite. Add a separate pool house, a gym, a spa area or staff quarters, and the bathroom count climbs quickly."

"It's less about flaunting excess and more about the architecture of luxury homes in America. These properties are built to ensure guests don't have to wander through private family spaces, and that homeowners retain a sense of separation and discretion. From a design standpoint, it's considered practical – even expected – rather than indulgent for its own sake. In that market, 16 bathrooms is not as outlandish as it sounds when taken out of context," they added.

Still, critics argue there is no need for that many toilets.

Another insider said: "For some onlookers, there's a disconnect between the grounded values Harry and Meghan often articulate and the physical reality of the home they live in."

"When they talk about intention, balance and living with purpose, the sheer size of the property can feel jarring to the public. The mansion is already jaw-dropping in its scale, and when people start counting details like bathrooms, it reinforces the idea of excess. Those kinds of specifics take on a symbolic weight – they become shorthand for a lifestyle that critics see as out of sync with the more pared-back, mindful image the couple sometimes project. Whether fair or not, that contrast is what fuels the commentary," they dished.

Meghan has previously spoken warmly about the home.

She has said: "We did everything we could to get this house. Because you walk in and go… joy. And exhale. And calm. It's healing. You feel free."

She also described a pair of palm trees in the garden that resonated with her and Harry. "One of the first things my husband saw when we walked around the house was those two palm trees," she added. "See how they're connected at the bottom? He goes, 'My love, it's us.' And now every day when Archie goes by us, he says, 'Hi, Momma. Hi, Papa.'"

Harry has defended their life in California.

He's said: "I very much enjoy living here and bringing up my kids here," adding his children have freedoms they "undoubtedly wouldn't be able to do" in Britain.

A source close to Harry and Meghan said: "For them, the property isn't about spectacle or showing off – it's a private refuge where they can raise their children away from constant scrutiny. They chose it because it offered space, security and a sense of calm, not because they were trying to make a grand statement. That said, they're realistic about how it's perceived. They understand that with their profiles, even something as mundane as a bathroom count can turn into a headline or a joke. To critics, 16 bathrooms become shorthand for excess. To them, it's simply a feature of a sprawling property built to accommodate guests, staff and separate amenities."