Prince Harry and Meghan’s decision to withdraw their children from a British prep school after only two days has raised questions about why their security team tested the school route during the summer holidays rather than during term time.
The couple’s convoy reportedly became separated in heavy traffic while taking Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to school, leaving the protection team concerned that the children could be exposed in stationary vehicles.
Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, were removed from the unnamed school after 48 hours. Their parents are understood to have made the decision reluctantly after being advised that the journey, which could take about an hour, was placing the security operation under strain.
The children are now expected to attend another school closer to the family’s home, following a taster session. The shorter commute is said to have reassured Harry and Meghan’s protection team.
Former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent Dal Babu said the episode suggested the Sussexes had rushed their move to Britain.
“It does beggar belief why they haven’t thought this through. I don’t think he [Harry] has helped himself or the situation by not arranging things in good time,” he said.
Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection, questioned whether the family needed to travel in convoy at all.
“If you keep a low profile, most people outside the school wouldn’t know where you are, what they’re doing, and all the rest of it,” he told LBC radio. “Do they really need to go in convoy with two little children on the school run? If they only just kept a little quieter, kept a lower profile, they’d be a lot safer in my view.”
Parents at the school said they had been surprised by the decision. One mother described Harry and Meghan choosing the school as a coup that had generated excitement among families, but said the area was notoriously congested.
“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,” she said.
Another mother said the delays on the school run had been predictable.
Friends of the couple stressed that the decision was not a criticism of the school. Harry was reportedly seen taking one of the children through the gates, while the couple were added to parents’ WhatsApp groups.
A spokesman for the Sussexes said the move followed discussions with the family’s security team about “the practicalities of their current arrangements”. The spokesman added that Harry and Meghan remained “extremely grateful” to the teachers and staff and that the decision was not a reflection on the school or the care the children had received.
A friend of the couple said the children had enjoyed the school and that the family had wanted to make the arrangement work, but the security team had concluded that the journey could not be operated safely.
Review of Harry’s security arrangements
The school decision came as Harry’s access to taxpayer-funded police protection was reported to be under review following the family’s return to Britain.
The Duke of Sussex and the Home Office have been in dispute for several years over his security arrangements. Harry lost a series of legal challenges after his automatic entitlement to taxpayer-funded protection was removed when he stepped back as a frontline royal in 2020 and moved to California.
The committee responsible for assessing protection for senior royals and other high-profile figures, known as Ravec, is understood to have told Harry that a full review of the risks facing him and Meghan would take place.
Harry had a further risk assessment in July, but that was completed before officials knew the couple intended to relocate their family to Britain. At present, the only police assistance said to have been offered routinely is the telephone number of a liaison officer, although protection is arranged on a case-by-case basis and remains under review.
A Labour MP, Mike Tapp, said the family’s position raised wider questions about how security decisions were being handled.
“Nearly three weeks after their arrival, the King’s son, Meghan, and their children remain without protection,” he said. “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.”
The Home Office said the UK’s protective security system was “rigorous and proportionate” but that it did not disclose detailed arrangements because doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ safety.
The developments coincided with Meghan sharing photographs to mark Harry’s 42nd birthday, including images of the couple with Archie, Lilibet and their dog, Pula.
