Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet were targeted by paparazzi while attending school in the UK, just a few weeks after the Sussex children were forced to move schools for security concerns.
A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has confirmed the children were stalked by “certain European paparazzi.”
“The decision by photographers to conduct themselves in this way around a school is extraordinarily reckless,” the spokesperson shared in a statement, before claiming the paparazzi walked around the school before “stopping to look into the grounds and monitoring children as they go about their day.”
Two men are reportedly under investigation by police. ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship first reported the incident, with an insider telling the outlet that two individuals were seen “scouting out” the school “for a number of hours” before driving away in a white rented van.
The scare follows mere weeks after the major security concerns forced the Sussex children to move schools just two days into the semester.
Following a quick visit home in July, their parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made the shock decision leave their picturesque home in Montecito, California to to return to England.
The Sussexes moved to the US shortly after stepping down as senior working royals in 2020. At the time, Archie, now 7, was roughly 9 months old. Meanwhile, Lilibet, 5, was born and raised in the US.
When the new school year commenced in September, Archie began Year 3, while Lilibet started Year 1.
The name in which the children were original enrolled in was kept private for security reasons. However, the areas heavy traffic and the distance between the school and their home have caused significant strain on their security team, according to Hello!. The Duke and Duchess followed their securities advice to withdraw their children from the school.
“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 of the couple tells Hello!
The Sussexes have reportedly moved to the Cotswolds region. Several members of the British royal family have homes in the area, including Princess Anne, Zara and Mike Tindall, and King Charles and Queen Camilla.
However, People reported the Sussexes will settle at a “independent” and “non-royal” home. Therefore suggesting they will not be returning to Frogmore Cottage, where they resided from 2019 to 2020.
In a 2022 interview with The Cut, Meghan expressed the concern that if Archie were to attend school in the UK, she’d “never” be able to do school pickup and drop-off as it would cause a “royal photo call.”
Yet, a ‘friend’ previously revealed Prince Harry’s desire to enroll his children in a UK school.
“Harry feels his children are missing out on the extensive family network that their niece and nephews are enjoying,” the source told the Daily Mail in September 2025.
“He has retained his closest friendship group of confidants from his days at school at Ludgrove and Eton. He wants that for his own children.”
Both Prince Harry and Prince William attended Eton College. This tradition which will be continued by the Prince of Wales’ son, Prince George, who joined the prestigious school this year.
