Meghan and Harry had only been able to test the route to Archie and Lilibet’s new school during the summer holidays after deciding to return to Britain, and were alarmed by the traffic on the first day of term.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pulled their children out of the private school after just two days when their convoy became separated during the busy school run, it emerged today.
Sources close to the couple claimed their security fears were heightened whenever their vehicles were stopped in traffic, leaving them ‘sitting ducks’.
Their private protection team had been unable to properly assess the journey from the family’s new home to the unnamed school during term time, with the commute taking up to an hour each way this week.
Archie and Lilibet spent just 48 hours at the prep school before their parents ‘reluctantly’ withdrew them on the advice of their security team, who warned that the commute was placing their unit under ‘strain’.
Friends of the couple have stressed that the issue was not with the school itself. Instead, Archie and Lili, seven and five, were taken out because of the lengthy commute from their new home and heavy traffic on the way to school.
One source close to him has claimed that a worrying incident this week when the Sussexes’ vehicles were unable to stay together in convoy had alarmed the couple.
The decision to pull them out of school came on the same day it emerged that Harry’s access to state-funded VIP police protection is being reviewed now they are back in the UK full time.
Prince Harry, who turned 42 today, was reportedly seen settling Lili into reception, and the couple were added to WhatsApp groups.
Parents at the school had also spotted Harry taking one of the children through the gates. One mother with two children at the school said Harry and Meghan’s decision to send their children there had been a coup and had excited many parents.
But she added: ‘Parents at the school are completely baffled. You don’t need to be an expert to know how congested that area is. It’s one of the worst places to drive in the UK.’
Prince Harry wears a Santa Barbara Fire Department cap as he kisses his daughter Lilibet, five, in pictures shared by Meghan today to mark his 42nd birthday
Harry and Meghan’s security team advised the couple that traffic on the school run and the distance covered was putting a strain on them
Harry drives a quad bike with Lilibet and Archie in the back – and an M&S bag of shopping – as their dog Pula follows behind following their return to the UK. The Sussex convoy was split up due to congestion this week, with their security team raising fears
Another mother said of the slow school run: ‘This was obviously going to happen.’
But a Labour MP suggested that he believes the Sussexes have been left exposed.
Mike Tapp, who represents Dover and Deal in Kent, said: ‘Nearly three weeks after their arrival, the King’s son, Meghan, and their children remain without protection.
‘Whatever the eventual outcome, there are serious questions about how this process has been handled. In the cold light of day, there should be a proper review to ensure decisions of this importance are made swiftly, independently and on the basis of risk.’
Archie and Lili will now join another school in the area after visiting for a taster session on Monday.
Harry and Meghan’s security are said to be much happier with that choice as the commute is shorter.
The decision to take their children out of their prep school for security reasons was first reported by HELLO! magazine last night.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes said: ‘The decision for the children to move school was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements.
‘The parents remain extremely grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they have shown their family. This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there.’
HELLO! then quoted a friend of the couple saying: ‘It’s a real shame, because they absolutely adored the school, the kids and their parents. It was perfect for them in every way and the children really enjoyed their time there.
‘They really wanted to make it work, but they had to make a difficult decision based on the fact that the team couldn’t make the school run operationally secure.’
Meghan and Harry kiss while Lilibet and Archie are seen playing in the background
Harry looks out at a lake with Lilibet, in a photo released today to mark his 42nd birthday
Harry plays archery with Archie in another one of the nine images shared by Meghan today
The dramatic development came as it emerged that Harry’s demand for taxpayer-funded police protection is being ‘reviewed’ now he is back in Britain.
The duke and duchess are said to have been informed that ‘a decision’ was made at a meeting last week to examine the threat to both of them.
The prince has been at loggerheads with the Home Office for years over its decision to remove his automatic right to security. Harry has long argued that he was born a prince and needs police protection when in the UK.
But he lost a series of legal battles against the Home Office which deemed he had forfeited the right to be able to call at will on taxpayer-funded protection after he quit as a frontline royal in 2020 and moved to a new life in California.
Only last year, after yet another defeat at the Royal Courts of Justice – against his father His Majesty’s government – the prince declared in a petulant BBC interview that he could not imagine a time when he could safely bring his family to his country of birth.
But now that he has had a sudden change of heart, bringing Meghan, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, to live in the UK, his access to police protection is being reviewed, it was reported on Monday evening.
The decision is said to involve reviewing the risks to Prince Harry and also to his wife.
ITV News said the Home Office committee that decides on security provision for high-profile royals and politicians – known as Ravec – has written to Harry informing him a ‘full review’ will take place.
If true, then this decision defies complaints made by Team Sussex about the meeting held last week by Ravec, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures.
Meghan shared scenes of the family enjoying the British countryside as they settled into life in the UK
Some in Harry’s camp had accused Buckingham Palace of trying to scupper the Ravec meeting with King Charles’s bombshell letter last week which made clear Buckingham Palace’s view that the Sussexes were ‘private citizens’ not working royals.
Harry and Meghan were taken by surprise by the letter and would prefer to be known as ‘public figures‘, it was made clear by sources close to them.
They believed the timing of the letter may have been an attempt to influence the Ravec committee on whether to reinstate Harry’s taxpayer-funded security.
At the time, the Daily Mail reported that such claims were incorrect, and the letter was sent out by the palace to offer clarity ahead of a busy programme for the Sussexes, not to interfere with his battles with the Home Office committee. In fact, those close to the King believed the move could make it easier for him to see his son privately.
Last night, Harry’s fears that the letter could have been designed to block his bid for security appeared unfounded with the news that Ravec is going to fully review his need for protection for him and his family.
ITV News’s royal correspondent Chris Ship said: ‘It was decided that Harry should get a full review of his security now that he is resident in his home country and his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, have started classes at a British school.’
It was said the official review carried out by Ravec, called a Risk Management Board (RMB), would be conducted for both Harry and Meghan. It would be the first review of the potential risks and threats facing Meghan since the couple left the Monarchy in 2020.
In fact, Harry had a new ‘RMB’ completed in July, eight weeks ago, but this was conducted before those assessing his case knew about his plans to relocate his family to the UK.
Currently, said ITV News, the only protection the Sussexes have been given by British police is the phone number of a police liaison officer. The duke has been told to call the phone number should he need police help, but he believes this is essentially zero protection as it would take officers a long time to reach him, were he or his family to be in distress or under attack.
Harry argues he is the son of the British monarch, the fifth in line to the throne and a veteran of the British Army who completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan. He was criticised by some British officers for his decision to boast in his 2023 memoir Spare about how many people he had killed during his battles against the Taliban. Some suggested this had massively increased his need for protection against those who might seek revenge.
Scotland Yard does not discuss the security arrangements of royals but it is understood that protection is arranged on a case-by-case basis and is constantly under review. During some recent UK events attended by Harry, such as charity evenings, he has clearly been afforded police security.
Harry and Meghan also pay millions for private security. But in America, their bodyguards may be able to shoot people deemed a threat. In Britain, their close protection agents are not allowed to carry guns, explaining why the duke is desperate to reinstate his automatic police protection.
The Home Office said: ‘The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.’
Team Sussex has been contacted for comment.
