The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have moved Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to a new school after only two days into term, following serious concerns from their private security team that the daily school run could not be made safe.
Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, had only just met their new classmates when the decision was made to relocate them to another school in the area. The children visited their new school for a taster session on Monday, with Harry reportedly spotted dropping Lilibet off at reception — and the couple have already been added to the parents' social media groups.
A Security Nightmare on the School Run
The issue, sources say, was never the school itself. Heavy traffic and the distance between the original school and the property at which the family is staying made it impossible for Harry and Meghan Markle's protection team to keep their vehicles in convoy during the journey — leaving them, on occasion, effectively stationary and exposed. The school was at least a 30-minute drive away, a journey that could double with school traffic.
"It is absolutely the biggest area of concern. It creates the most dangers."
Bodyguards had conducted checks on the grounds of the first school over the summer holidays after the couple decided to return to Britain permanently. Staff were given public relations training, and the site itself was assessed by protection experts. But the critical element — the school run itself — could not be properly tested until the first day of term. One incident during the commute is said to have made it particularly difficult for the security team to maintain the convoy, and that appears to have been the tipping point.
A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess 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."
Heartbreak — But No Regrets
Those close to the family say the decision was genuinely difficult and emotionally charged. The children had clearly taken to the school, and their parents had too.
"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."
A friend told Hello! magazine that the move was in no way a reflection on the quality of the school or its staff.
Ravec Steps In: A New Security Review
The school drama comes alongside a significant development on the broader security front. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee — known as Ravec — has written to the Duke of Sussex confirming that, in light of the family's changed circumstances, it has commissioned a new risk assessment for him and a separate one for the Duchess of Sussex. This will be Meghan's first government-backed security review since she was granted police protection as a working member of the Royal Family following her marriage to Harry in 2018.
Ravec, which operates as part of the Home Office, has asked the couple to provide detailed information about their new daily routines — including regular travel routes, specific addresses, timings and other movements by all members of the family. The committee is expected to reconvene to discuss the findings once the review has been completed.
Harry has fought for years to secure taxpayer-funded police protection in the UK, arguing that the threat level he faces has not diminished since he stepped back from official royal duties. He pursued a legal challenge against the removal of his protection, but ultimately lost the case in the Court of Appeal in May last year. In August, he contacted Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood directly, pleading for clarity ahead of the family's return. At that point, the couple's only official British police protection was the phone number of a police liaison officer.
The Sussexes' return to the UK as full-time residents rather than visitors has, it seems, triggered a genuine reassessment — with Ravec now treating their security needs as a live and evolving question rather than a closed one. For Harry and Meghan, that will come as a relief. But as the scramble to find a workable school run makes plain, getting settled in Britain was never going to be straightforward.
