Harry and Meghan change children’s school over security concerns

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have moved their children to a different school only days into the new academic year, citing security concerns over the daily school run after the family’s return to Britain.

Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, had been enrolled at an undisclosed school after their parents moved back to the United Kingdom last month from California. The names of the original school and the new school have not been disclosed.

“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,” a spokesman for Harry and Meghan said in a statement.

“The parents remain extremely grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they have shown their family,” the statement added. “This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there.”

HELLO! Magazine first reported the school change.

The BBC reported that the couple’s private security team had been concerned that the distance and heavy traffic on the original school run route made it difficult to secure. It is understood that security for the children involved travelling with an additional car and that moving in convoy proved difficult in busy school traffic. Route checks are believed to have taken place before term began, but the trip was later deemed not safe enough once term-time traffic began.

NBC News royal contributor Emily Nash, who is also royal editor for HELLO! Magazine, said the school “was at a fair distance from the place where they’re staying in the U.K. and they weren’t able to properly protect themselves in heavy traffic.”

“On the first day of term they realized it was going to be quite a challenging journey for them and they risked sitting in traffic where they were potentially exposed to greater threats,” Nash said.

The decision comes as the couple await a review of their publicly funded security following their return to live in the U.K. The BBC reported that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec, is expected to reconsider Harry and Meghan’s level of police protection now that they and their children are full-time residents rather than visitors.

The committee includes representatives of the Home Office, police and the Royal Household. A Risk Management Board is expected to assess threats against the family and the level of police protection they might need, including for regular routes such as school runs. No final decision has been reached.

Harry previously brought an unsuccessful legal challenge over police security arrangements when he was visiting Britain from the United States. The BBC reported that Harry had a review of potential risks earlier in the summer, before it was known that he would return to live in the U.K., and that this would be the first such security review for Meghan since the couple stopped being working royals in 2020.

The family moved back to the United Kingdom for what NBC News described as an “extended period” after six years living in Montecito, California. Their new home has not been disclosed.

Meghan marked Harry’s 42nd birthday Tuesday with a social media post that said, “He’s simply the best. Happy birthday, my love.” She also shared images and footage of family life in England, including the children fishing on a boat, riding bikes and walking in woodland with their dog.