Prince Harry and Meghan Markle face criticism over school switch after just two days

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have already had to rethink one of the most basic parts of their family’s return to the UK: getting their children to school.

Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, were withdrawn from their new school just two days after the start of term after the Sussexes’ security team raised concerns about the practicalities of transporting them there each day.

The problem, according to royal expert Kinsey Schofield, was predictable.

Schofield told Page Six that heavy traffic in the area and the distance between the school and the family’s current home should have been considered before Archie and Lilibet began classes.

Security concerns force an immediate change

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently returned to Britain with their children after six years in California. Archie and Lilibet began the new school year in the UK, but their time at the original school lasted only two days.

A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan confirmed that the decision followed discussions with the family’s security team about their existing arrangements. The family also made clear that the move was not a criticism of the school, its teachers or staff.

The main difficulty was the journey.

Heavy traffic, combined with the distance between the school and the Sussexes’ home, created problems for the security team responsible for transporting the children, according to reports.

The names of the schools and the location of the family’s new home have not been publicly disclosed.

For Schofield, however, the circumstances raise questions about the planning that went into the original choice.

“None of these logistical problems are a surprise,” Schofield said.

She said people in the area had warned her that traffic around the school was particularly difficult.

“When I was speaking to people locally about the original school, one of the first things I was warned about was the horrific traffic,” she said.

A 45-minute journey became a security headache

Schofield said the situation became even more complicated when the family’s circumstances were taken into account.

“I was told you need the patience of a saint to navigate that area during the school run,” she explained.

With Archie and Lilibet attending school at different ages and potentially having different schedules, Schofield said the distance from the Sussexes’ current residence meant the security team could have been facing a roughly 45-minute journey four times a day.

That level of daily travel, she argued, made the original arrangement unnecessarily difficult.

“This is another example of Harry and Meghan appearing to choose the more complicated route and then discovering that the complications are difficult to manage,” Schofield said.

The criticism comes despite reports that the family was happy with the school itself. A spokesperson said Harry and Meghan remained extremely grateful to the teachers and staff for the care given to their children and stressed that the switch should not be interpreted as a reflection on the school.

The Sussexes have since moved quickly to arrange another school for Archie and Lilibet.

The decision comes amid a long-running security dispute

The school change has also attracted attention because of Harry’s longstanding concerns about security in the UK.

Harry has spent years arguing that he and his family require greater protection when they are in Britain. His dispute over the level of security available to him after stepping back from royal duties has included legal challenges over police protection.

Now that the family has returned to the UK, their security arrangements are once again under review. The Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec, is conducting separate risk assessments for Harry and Meghan. Harry’s review began in July, while Meghan is undergoing her first government-backed security review since the couple left working royal life in 2020.

That backdrop has inevitably added another layer of scrutiny to the school decision.

“I also think there will inevitably be some cynicism around the timing,” Schofield said.

“Harry has spent years making the case that his family requires a greater level of security in Britain, and suddenly a very foreseeable school-run problem is being presented as another example of why their existing security arrangements are inadequate.”

Another expert sees a different explanation

Not everyone views the school switch as evidence of poor planning.

Ryan McCormick, a crisis communications expert at Goldman McCormick PR, told Page Six that the decision could simply reflect the couple’s concern for their children.

“It seems that Harry and Meghan have genuine concern about the safety of their children,” McCormick said. “Because of who they are, everything that they do is met with speculation and heightened scrutiny.”

The Sussexes’ spokesman has similarly framed the decision around practical security considerations rather than dissatisfaction with the school.

For Schofield, though, the question remains why those logistical problems were not identified before the children started classes.

“If locals could immediately identify the traffic and distance as potential problems, why couldn’t a professional security operation identify them before the first day of school?” she asked.

The issue is particularly notable because security checks had reportedly been carried out before the children started at the school. Yet the daily journey itself ultimately proved difficult enough for the family to make a rapid change.

The timing of Meghan’s family posts draws scrutiny

The school change came only a day after Meghan shared a series of personal family videos on Instagram, giving followers a glimpse of the Sussexes’ new life in Britain.

The footage showed the family enjoying the English countryside, including outdoor walks, fishing and time together. Archie and Lilibet were also seen enjoying the outdoors in the UK.

The posts offered an upbeat picture of the family settling into their new surroundings after their move from California.

Schofield, however, questioned whether the timing of the Instagram posts was deliberate.

“Was the post intended to get ahead of this story?” she asked.

“Given how carefully Harry and Meghan manage their public image, I think it is fair to ask.”

A fresh start in Britain gets off to a complicated beginning

Harry and Meghan’s return to the UK was intended to give Archie and Lilibet more of a connection to their father’s country and allow the children to experience life in Britain after spending much of their childhood in California. Their move was confirmed in August, and both children began the new school year in the UK.

But within days, their education plans had to change.

The Sussexes have emphasized that the issue was about the practicalities of security and transportation, rather than the quality of the school. Their children have now moved on to another school as the family continues adjusting to life in Britain.

For critics such as Schofield, the episode is another example of decisions becoming more complicated than expected. For supporters of the couple, it is evidence that Harry and Meghan are willing to change plans quickly when they believe their children’s safety could be affected.

Either way, the abrupt switch has placed the Sussexes’ return to Britain under another round of public scrutiny, particularly as questions about their security arrangements remain unresolved.