Prince Harry, Meghan Markle speak out after photographers allegedly spotted at Archie and Lilibet’s school
Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, are speaking out after photographers were allegedly spotted at the school attended by their two young children, Archie and Lilibet.
Two men carrying backpacks were spotted walking around the school that Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, attend in the United Kingdom, a source told ABC News Wednesday. The men looked into the school grounds before returning to a white van, according to the source.
Harry and Meghan enrolled their children in school in the U.K. when they moved to the country from California in late August. It is not known publicly where the Sussexes are living in the U.K. nor where Archie and Lilibet are attending school.
A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan called the photographers’ alleged presence at the school an "unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of children."
“The decision by photographers to conduct themselves in this way around a school is extraordinarily reckless," the spokesperson said in a statement to ABC News Wednesday. "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."
The spokesperson 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.”
A local police force told ABC News they can neither confirm nor deny these reports.
The reported incident comes just two weeks after Harry and Meghan moved Archie and Lilibet to a new school due to security concerns.
A spokesperson for the couple told ABC News at the time the decision was made "following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements."
While living in the U.K., Harry and Meghan are remaining as "private citizens" and are not working royals, according to a letter released under the direction of Harry's father, King Charles III.
As non-working royals, the Sussexes do not receive the same automatic taxpayer-funded armed police protection as Harry's royal family members, including his father, the king, and his brother, Prince William.
The Sussexes have relied on a privately funded security team for the past six years since moving to California.
Harry and Meghan have not commented publicly on their security setup while living in the U.K.
RAVEC, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures -- the independent body tasked with deciding who gets royal and VIP security in the U.K. – is now reviewing the security status for both Harry and Meghan as soon as possible, according to sources.
RAVEC ruled in 2020 -- when Harry and Meghan stepped away from their roles as senior working roles -- that security for the Sussexes would be granted on a case-by-case basis.
