Security has long been a major concern for Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. It was a driving force in what led him and Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex out of the U.K. in the first place. Now, it’s been just weeks since they made their return across the pond and Harry’s concerns about privacy in his home country are already coming true.
Shortly after 7-year-old Prince Archie and 5-year-old Princess Lilibet started their school year in the U.K., Meghan joined a group chat with other moms at their new school, and apparent screenshots from the WhatsApp thread made the rounds online. “Hi moms! Thanks for the warm welcome,” Meghan reportedly wrote with a heart emoji, adding, “So happy to be a part of this community xx,” per The U.S. Sun. It didn’t take long for the messages and Meghan’s phone number to be leaked to the public.
Unfortunately for the Sussexes, this wasn’t the only way the school year has jeopardized the family’s privacy in a very short span of time. The phone number leak followed Archie and Lilibet having to switch schools, due to problems with commuting.
Harry and Meghan’s security team reportedly recommended a change in schools
After only two days of school, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s security team reportedly recommended that Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet transfer. Heavy rush hour traffic at the school they were initially enrolled in put a wrench in things. It caused the commute to drag to an hour and even separated their convoy in standstill traffic, with bodyguards for the Sussexes reportedly saying it made Archie and Lilibet “sitting ducks” (via Daily Mail). This was likely a confirmation of some of Harry’s worst fears.
“It’s a real shame, because they absolutely adored the school, the kids and their parents,” a source close to the Sussexes told Hello! “It was perfect for them in every way and the children really enjoyed their time there,” they said. A spokesperson for the couple told the outlet, “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.”
It’s rumored that King Charles III stripped Harry and Meghan of their royal security when they left their roles as working royals. Security concerns were then the main reason Harry kept Meghan and their kids out of the U.K. for the past six years. This makes it all the more surprising that Harry and Meghan made the seemingly sudden decision to head back to the U.K. only to discover that, unsurprisingly, the security situation hasn’t changed. This surely won’t be the last change the couple makes to their plans due to privacy concerns.
