Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s fans baffled by their bathrooms at $29m home

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a sprawling Montecito mansion and it’s the toilets inside that fans are fascinated by

harry and megan in front of double doors

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have carved out a dream life in the US with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and there’s nothing more idyllic than their vast $29 million estate in the celebrity hotspot of Montecito. It boasts an array of impressive features, including an outdoor pool, a wine cellar, an over-water spa room and a giant children’s playpark, but it is their toilets that have piqued everyone’s interest.

A video shared by @globalstarhomes outlined their property, revealing that it has nine bedrooms and 16 bathrooms, and fans were astounded. Comments included: “Nine bedrooms and 16 toilets. Really!!!!” and: “Why would they need all that? Living above their means for no purpose. Not like they even have any parties. Scale down and enjoy living.” Another user joked: “They’ve got 16 thrones where they are.”

meghan markle doorwayThe exterior of Harry and Meghan’s property

While 16 bathrooms may seem rather excessive, having written about celebrity homes for more than five years now, I can tell you that it is fairly commonplace, particularly in sprawling US mansions. So why so many lavatories? Here’s the truth…

These vast estates often have an array of features like a home gym, spa room, pool, games room, tennis courts, home cinemas and each of these spaces would come with its own toilet, handy for guests to use when they are enjoying the facilities. Not to mention the extra bathrooms tagged on as en suites to bedrooms and one in the entranceway, making easy access for guests.

As well as being convenient for guests visiting the property, it also adds a level of privacy for the homeowners, as their visitors do not have to use their private bathroom. Plus, most A-listers and royals have their own cleaners, so there’s no worry about the extra spaces they will have to scrub!

harry and meghan's pool© Giggster
Prince Harry and Meghan’s pool is an impressive feature

What have Prince Harry and Meghan Markle said about their home?

Meghan and Harry mostly keep their children out of the spotlight

The Duchess has revealed that they were taken by the house as soon as they saw it. “We did everything we could to get this house,” Meghan told The Cut. “Because you walk in and go… Joy. And exhale. And calm. It’s healing. You feel free.”

She also opened up about their favourite feature in the garden. “One of the first things my husband saw when we walked around the house was those two palm trees,” she told the magazine. “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.’”

Talking about life in the States more generally, Prince Harry spoke at the New York Times 2024 DealBook Summit, and said: “I very much enjoy living here and bringing up my kids here,” he said before explaining that his children have the freedom to do things that they “undoubtedly wouldn’t be able to do in the UK.”

We saw many clips inside their residence during their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, however, they chose to do the interview filming at a nearby mansion. Then, Meghan chose to shoot her With Love, Meghan show at a rental too, in order to maintain privacy at their family abode.