Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have criticized photographers who were reportedly seen outside the school attended by their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, describing the behavior as “extraordinarily reckless.”
“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,” a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Page Six in a statement Wednesday.
The spokesperson added that it was “concerning” that some members of the European paparazzi “appear unwilling to respect the privacy of children at school.”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spoke out after a security scare involving photographers outside the UK school attended by their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The Sussexes slammed photographers as “extraordinarily reckless” after they were reportedly seen walking around the perimeter of their children’s school.
“But to behave in this manner in these particular circumstances, and so soon after the incident at RAF Fairford, demonstrates an extraordinary lack of judgment,” a spokesperson for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry said.
The statement continued, “Whatever photographs they may have been seeking, this was not only an unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of children; it was an irresponsible and ill-considered way to conduct themselves in the vicinity of a school.”
Page Six confirmed that two young men were spotted by private security and school staff walking around the perimeter of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s school, stopping at several points and looking into the grounds.
“It was an irresponsible and ill-considered way to conduct themselves in the vicinity of a school,” the statement added. Markle is pictured here with her two children.
The two men, both carrying backpacks, were initially spotted separately before later returning to the same white van, which police determined was a rental vehicle.
They were subsequently identified as international photographers working for a well-known European press agency.
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s school is also attended by several American children whose families are connected to a nearby US military installation at an RAF base.
After the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK in August, they enrolled Archie and Lilibet in an exclusive prep school that reportedly costs around $35,000 a year.
However, the couple withdrew Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, from the school after just two days amid concerns over a security risk.
Page Six can confirm that two photographers affiliated with a known European press agency were spotted by private security and school staff walking around the perimeter of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s school.
The two men were carrying backpacks and later returned to a white van, which police determined was a rental vehicle. Harry is pictured here with his children.
Heavy traffic in and out of the school was reportedly putting added pressure on the family’s small security team, according to Hello! magazine.
“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 representative for the couple told the outlet earlier this month.
A source also told Hello! that Harry, 42, and Markle, 45, had security assessments carried out at the school before the term began, but the family had not been able to test the daily school run in advance.
“It’s a real shame, because they absolutely adored the school, the kids and their parents,” the insider said.
However, the couple later pulled Archie and Lilibet from the school over security concerns, including heavy traffic surrounding the campus that complicated their protection arrangements.
Harry and Markle faced another security-related issue when the former “Suits” star’s personal phone number was reportedly exposed after she joined a WhatsApp group for parents at the school.
Following an exchange between Markle and two mothers in the group chat, someone allegedly took a screenshot of the conversation that included her phone number. The image was then shared multiple times.
Last week, Harry said his children “are happy in school” during an interview with CTV.
“It’s been great to be back on British soil,” the “Spare” author added.
The Sussexes moved back to the UK with their two children six years after stepping down from their roles as senior working royals.
Harry and Markle are continuing their push to secure taxpayer-funded protection in Britain, despite no longer serving as working members of the royal family.
Earlier this month, the couple — who stepped back from royal duties in 2020 — were granted a review of their security arrangements following their return to England. As part of the process, they were reportedly asked to provide details about their daily routines, including school runs.
King Charles III has previously emphasized that Harry and Markle are living in the UK as “private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”
