Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have faced criticism from former royal security officials following issues with their children’s recent school arrangements in the United Kingdom. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex relocated to the UK last month, shortly after announcing their departure from California, and enrolled their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in a private preparatory school near their new home in the Cotswolds. However, just two days after starting, the children were withdrawn amid security concerns related to the school run.

Retired Chief Superintendent Dai Davies, who formerly headed royal protection, described the situation as a “fiasco entirely of their own making.” He questioned why the Sussexes’ private security team failed to conduct proper assessments of the school route during term-time traffic conditions, noting that testing the route during school holidays did not adequately prepare for the heavier traffic at the start of term. Davies called the convoy’s separation during a busy school run—a scenario that left the children vulnerable in stationary traffic—a “basic and inexcusable” error.

Davies also highlighted wider questions about the Sussexes’ security arrangements, particularly in light of Harry’s prior demands for taxpayer-funded police protection, which the government is currently reviewing. He suggested that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC), responsible for security decisions, had limited information regarding the family’s plans, complicating their ability to provide a tailored risk assessment. The Sussexes reportedly informed King Charles of their move privately just days before news was publicly leaked, and RAVEC only learned of Harry’s return this year in relation to solo public engagements.

Former Met Police Chief Superintendent Dal Babu echoed concerns over the rushed nature of the relocation, characterizing the withdrawal of the children from their first school as evidence of inadequate planning. Meanwhile, ITV News, which has close ties to the Sussexes’ public relations team, reported unusual congestion and road closures in the areas surrounding the school at the start of term. According to ITV, the security convoy became separated amid heavy traffic, with other vehicles coming between the family car carrying Archie and Lilibet and the car housing their security detail.

ITV also noted that many aspects of the Sussexes’ security arrangements remain uncertain, attributing this to the rapid timeline of the move. The broadcaster speculated that the couple may have anticipated receiving official police protection capable of managing traffic with emergency vehicles, a protection which has not yet been granted. Following the withdrawal from their initial school, the Sussex children undertook a 'taster' day at a new school before beginning full-time attendance, with Meghan reportedly engaging with other parents through WhatsApp groups.

The first school is said to have been “relieved” by the decision to relocate the children, while the family continues to adapt to their new circumstances. On Harry’s 43rd birthday, Meghan shared images of the couple with their children in a social media post celebrating the occasion. The ongoing situation underscores the complexities and public scrutiny surrounding the Sussex family’s relocation and security needs in the UK.