Parents at the upscale UK prep school attended by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children — Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 — have reportedly been warned against taking photos of students.
According to the Mirror, “guidance” was allegedly given regarding parents and caregivers “conduct” at the school after Markle’s phone number was leaked via a parents’ WhatsApp chat.
Parents of students who play sports at nearby schools — and against the school of the Sussex children — have also been put on notice of “the importance of only taking photos of your own children” in an alleged letter.
“It can’t be a coincidence that these notices are going out now just after Harry and Meghan have moved their children into the local area,” one parent complained to the outlet in a report published Tuesday.
“It’s complete overkill, everyone knows the boundaries, and could you imagine the uproar from other parents if someone was discovered purposely taking pictures of children that weren’t theirs,” they continued, adding, “I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come because it’s totally unnecessary.”
A parent at the new school claimed that on their first day, two 4×4 cars were seen “rushing” down a lane near the school, after which the couple, their children and their security team were seen outside the entrance.
“Everyone is very down to earth and normal here,” the parent told the outlet. “We all help each other and help out whenever we can with school events. We would hope all new parents want to get involved and immerse themselves in school life and the wider community.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex abruptly moved back to the UK — which they left in 2020 after quitting their duties as working members of the royal family — last month.
Leaving the children’s former school in Santa Barbara, California — reportedly without letting teachers know they weren’t re-enrolling their children for the year — the couple instead enrolled them in an elite school in Harry’s home country.
However, just two days into the term, the couple pulled Archie and Lilibet from the school after traffic allegedly presented a strain on their limited security team.
“The decision for the children to move schools was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements,” a rep for the couple told Hello! earlier this month.
“The parents remain extremely grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they have shown their family,” the statement continued.
“This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there.”
An insider told the outlet that the decision was “a real shame” as “they absolutely adored the school, the kids and their parents.”
They added, “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.”
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield subsequently alleged to Page Six that the incident was “another example of Harry and Meghan appearing to choose the more complicated route and then discovering that the complications are difficult to manage.”
Privacy concerns over sending their children to a UK school are nothing new for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The “With Love, Meghan” host told the Cut in 2022 that she had concerns about sending her children to school there, due to the potential for photographers snapping pics of her children during school drop-offs.
“Sorry, I have a problem with that,” she told the outlet at the time. “That doesn’t make me obsessed with privacy. That makes me a strong and good parent protecting my child.”
Prince Harry, meanwhile, twice took the British government to court over their decision to end taxpayer funded security for his family, and was unsuccessful in the effort.
However, earlier this month, the Telegraph reported that the As Ever lifestyle brand founder has reportedly been granted her first government-backed security review.
According to the outlet, the couple was asked to provide details of their new daily routines by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) and will receive an official risk assessment.
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