Harry Slammed Over ‘Cynical’ Move After Paparazzi Incident

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s security dispute is in the news again after two men were spotted near the new school their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are enrolled in.

The two men, said to be European paparazzi, were described by the Sussexes’ spokesperson as exhibiting “extraordinarily reckless” behavior and compared it to the recent security incident at RAF Fairford.

As Prince Harry and Meghan’s request for taxpayer-funded police protection is pending RAVEC review, a royal author has branded the way they have handled the recent paparazzi story a “cynical strategy.”

Prince Harry And Meghan Under Fire Over Handling Of Paparazzi Incident At Kids’ School

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Royal author Robert Jobson believes that the way Harry and Meghan have publicly discussed their security incidents could make it hard for the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) to leave their security arrangements as is.

According to Express, Jobson said, “With the way they’ve handled the stories about security, it’s going to be increasingly difficult for RAVEC to not put up their security the more they do it.”

The author went further, describing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as employing a “calculated and cynical strategy to get their security paid for by the public.”

The assessment comes after the Sussexes’ spokesperson spoke publicly about the recent incident at their children’s school, which followed previous security concerns the couple had made public.

RAVEC Is Already Reviewing The Duke And Duchess’s Security Situation For A Potential Upgrade Amid Their UK Return

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RAVEC, the executive committee that determines who gets state-funded police protection, is reportedly already examining Harry and Meghan’s security arrangements.

Reports previously revealed that the duke and duchess were going to undergo a new Risk Management Board assessment as they began living in the United Kingdom.

The recent security scare has therefore occurred while the status of Harry and Meghan’s security arrangements is under active consideration.

It was also confirmed on “Good Morning Britain” that Harry and Megan swiftly forwarded the paparazzi incident to RAVEC in hopes that it would help further emphasize why their family needs the extra protection.

Prince Harry And Meghan Claim Their Children Were Being Monitored

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The latest security controversy began after two men were reportedly observed surveilling Archie and Lilibet’s school grounds with a white van.

ITV News reported that the men, who were said to have been “scouting out” the school, raised safety concerns with the Sussexes security.

The van the individuals used was later identified as a rental, and the driver is possibly an international photographer, as officers have reportedly seen the license used for the reservation.

According to the Sussexes’ spokesperson, the photographers were allegedly “walking the perimeter” of the school and only stopped to look into the school grounds, “monitoring children as they go about their day.”

“The decision by photographers to conduct themselves in this way around a school is extraordinarily reckless,” the spokesperson noted.

The representative went further, referencing the RAF Fairford security incident and saying it was concerning that “European paparazzi appear unwilling to respect the privacy of children at 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,” the Sussexes spokesperson added.

Former Met Security Chief Disputes Fairford Comparison

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Former head of Metropolitan Police security for the royal family Dai Davis has taken issue with the Sussexes referencing the RAF Fairford incident in their security dispute.

Speaking to a news outlet, Davis argued that the presence of paparazzi doesn’t automatically constitute a security threat. “Paparazzi is not a security incident. It is just to be expected,” he said.

He suggested that the Sussexes’ security team can easily deal with paparazzi who will “chance their arm” and attempt to get close to the family.

The former police chief rejected their comparison with Fairford, saying, “There’s no comparison to Fairford. It’s bordering on shameless but ridiculous as well.”

Davis doesn’t believe the Sussexes need or should be entitled to state-funded police protection. He hopes that “RAVEC aren’t swayed, and common sense prevails as all the incidents amount to sweet FA.”

The Latest Incident Comes After Prince Harry And Meghan Changed Their Children’s School

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The Sussexes previously changed Archie and Lilibet’s school after their private security team couldn’t guarantee the safety of the school run, reportedly due to “horrific” traffic.

Archie and Lilibet had spent just two days in the school, which was said to be situated in the Cotswolds, after their family landed in the UK. However, the Sussexes’ team identified the security risk, which led to their removal from the school.

A spokesperson for the couple also stressed that the school itself wasn’t the issue, and it was simply the difficulty of their school run that forced them to make the hard decision to remove Archie and Lilibet.

Now, the recent paparazzi incident presents another security-related story Harry and Meghan can use to justify their request for state-funded police protection despite not being working royals.