Prince Harry and Meghan Markle move Archie and Lilibet to a new school after just two days

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made an unexpected change to their children’s new school arrangements, moving Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to another school just two days after they began the new term in the UK.

The decision was driven by security concerns surrounding the daily journey rather than any problem with the school itself. Heavy traffic, the distance between the family’s home and the school, and difficulties keeping the family’s vehicles together reportedly placed too much pressure on their private security team.

A difficult decision after Archie and Lilibet started school

Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, had only spent two days at their first UK school before Harry and Meghan decided to withdraw them.

The children had already met their classmates and begun settling into school life. According to a friend of the couple, they were particularly happy there and had formed a positive impression of both the school community and the other parents.

The issue was the practical reality of getting them to and from school safely.

Sources close to the Sussexes have stressed that the school itself was not at fault. Instead, the combination of the journey, traffic conditions and the distance from the family’s new home created concerns for the small private security team protecting them.

One incident reportedly made it difficult for the vehicles carrying the family to remain together in convoy, adding to concerns about whether the school run could be managed safely on a daily basis.

The family’s security personnel had visited and assessed the school during the summer, while Harry and Meghan were preparing for their return to Britain. However, they were unable to properly assess the actual school run until the new term began and the roads were operating under normal school-day conditions.

That appears to have changed the assessment considerably.

A friend of the couple told HELLO! that the family had been extremely fond of the school and had hoped to make the arrangement work, but ultimately accepted that the journey could not be made operationally secure.

Archie and Lilibet have already started at their new school

The children have now moved to another school in the area.

They attended a taster session on Monday before beginning the new arrangement. Prince Harry was seen settling Lilibet into reception, while Harry and Meghan have reportedly been added to the new school’s parents’ WhatsApp groups.

The change has therefore happened remarkably quickly, with the children moving from one school community to another almost immediately after beginning their UK education.

A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex emphasized that the decision was made after discussions with the family’s security team and should not be viewed as criticism of the original school.

The parents also expressed their gratitude to the teachers and staff who had looked after Archie and Lilibet during their brief time there.

The spokesperson said the decision was based on the practicalities of the family’s security arrangements and was not a reflection of the care the children received.

The school move comes amid a wider security review

The timing of the decision is significant because Harry and Meghan are already facing a renewed assessment of their security arrangements in Britain.

The couple returned to the UK in August after six years living in California, arriving with Archie and Lilibet as they prepared to establish a longer-term base in Britain. The family landed in the UK on August 26, with the children expected to begin school soon afterwards.

Their return has also brought Harry’s long-running dispute over UK police protection back into focus.

The Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as RAVEC, is reviewing the security arrangements for both Harry and Meghan now that they are living in Britain with their children.

Meghan is due to undergo her first government-backed security assessment since the couple stepped down as working members of the royal family in 2020. Harry’s case is also being reviewed separately. The committee has asked the couple to provide information about their daily routines, including the children’s school run, so that the potential risks can be assessed in light of their changed circumstances.

Harry’s security review began in July, although the circumstances have since changed significantly because he and his family are now based in the UK.

The current assessment is therefore taking into account the fact that Archie and Lilibet are attending school in Britain and that the family is spending an extended period in the country.

Harry’s long-running battle over UK protection

Security has been a particularly sensitive issue for Harry since he and Meghan left royal duties.

Harry has been fighting since September 2021 to have his police protection arrangements reinstated when he is in the UK. He pursued the matter through the courts and ultimately lost his appeal in May 2025.

After that ruling, Harry told the BBC that he could not see a situation in which he would bring his wife and children back to the UK at that point.

The family’s circumstances have since changed.

In December, it emerged that RAVEC’s Risk Management Board would reconsider Harry’s case. That review began in July 2026, before the family’s return to Britain became a reality.

The issue had already resurfaced during a June visit to the UK. Meghan withdrew from planned public appearances alongside Harry, with the couple’s team citing security concerns surrounding central London.

The Sussexes later announced in August that they would return to Britain with Archie and Lilibet for an extended period. The children were subsequently enrolled at a school close to where the family was living.

A new chapter for the Sussex children

The school change comes only weeks after Archie and Lilibet began a new chapter in Britain.

The children had spent most of their lives in California after Harry and Meghan relocated there in 2020. Their return to the UK marks their first extended period living in the country since their parents stepped back from royal duties.

The family has kept the location of its new home and the names and details of the children’s schools private. Their decision to move Archie and Lilibet so quickly therefore appears to have been driven primarily by the security logistics of the school journey rather than by any concerns about the education or treatment they received.

Recent images and video shared by Meghan have also offered glimpses of the family settling into life in Britain, including countryside walks and outdoor activities with the children.

For Harry and Meghan, the abrupt school move highlights the practical challenges that come with establishing family life in the UK while their security arrangements remain under review.

The couple now face a period of adjustment as Archie and Lilibet settle into their second school of the term, while RAVEC considers what level of protection should be provided to the Sussexes as permanent or extended-period residents in Britain.

Harry is also due to undertake a series of public appearances in the coming days. It has not yet been confirmed whether Meghan will accompany him at those engagements.