Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have expressed their concern over the safety and privacy of their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after two men were reportedly seen circling the perimeter of the school attended by the Sussex children. As per reports, the two men were seen stopping at different points around the school and peeking into the grounds before leaving in a rental vehicle. They were later identified as an international press photographer and an associate.
'Extraordinary recklessness'
Following the incident, a spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex issued a statement, strongly criticising the photographers' actions, describing them as "extraordinary recklessness."
"The decision by photographers to conduct themselves in this way around a school is extraordinarily reckless," the spokesman said. He added that there was an important distinction between legitimate reporting and photographers monitoring children around their school. "There is a world of difference between legitimate media activity and photographers walking the perimeter of a school, stopping to look into the grounds and monitoring children as they go about their day," the spokesman said.
Prince Harry and Meghan recently returned to UK
The incident comes as Harry and Meghan adjust to life in the UK after spending around six years living in California. Their children began attending a school in the UK in early September. However, concerns surrounding the school run reportedly resulted in changes to arrangements shortly after they started.
The Sussexes have faced intense media attention for years, with security remaining a particularly sensitive issue for the family. The latest incident has once again highlighted the challenge of balancing the public interest in the lives of high-profile figures with their children's right to privacy.
Ravec to review Harry and Meghan's UK security
The concerns also come as the security arrangements for Harry and Meghan are being reviewed. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee, commonly known as Ravec, is responsible for assessing security arrangements for senior members of the royal family and other VIPs.
The committee is expected to reassess the Sussexes' security needs following their move back to the UK as full-time residents.
The review is expected to consider the risks associated with their current circumstances, including their residence, travel arrangements and school runs.
The question of Harry's publicly funded security has been a long-running issue. His security arrangements were previously reduced after he stepped back as a working member of the Royal Family and moved to the US.
Meghan has shared glimpses of family life in UK
Since returning to Britain, Meghan has occasionally shared glimpses of family life through social media. The couple is reportedly based at a private property in the Cotswolds, where they have been rebuilding their life in the UK with their children.
However, the latest incident illustrates the difficulties the Sussexes face in maintaining a degree of privacy while remaining among the world's most closely followed public figures.
Why the school incident matters
The incident has renewed the debate over media intrusion involving the children of high-profile personalities. Harry and Meghan have repeatedly spoken about their concerns over press intrusion and the impact of intense media attention on their family.
Their latest complaint focuses on the distinction between reporting on public figures and behaviour that could potentially compromise the privacy or safety of minors. For the Sussexes, the issue is particularly significant because Archie and Lilibet are still young and attend school away from the public spotlight.
