Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have faced a "concerning" new security alert at their children's new school.
It comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, from their first UK school after just two days, HELLO! previously revealed.
Police are investigating two men who were seen carrying backpacks and walking around the perimeter of the school, stopping at various points and looking into the grounds. They then returned to a white van, which police established as a rental vehicle.
They were later identified by police as international photographers working for a known European press agency.
© Getty ImagesA spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: "The decision by photographers to conduct themselves in this way around a school is extraordinarily reckless.
"There is a world of difference between legitimate media activity and photographers walking the perimeter of a school, stopping to look into the grounds and monitoring children as they go about their day.
"It is concerning enough that certain 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.
"Whatever photographs they may have been seeking, this was not only an unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of children; it was an irresponsible and ill-considered way to conduct themselves in the vicinity of a school."
© InstagramWhile members of the British press have followed a request from the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) not to identify the school or new home, photographers working for outlets abroad are not bound by the same rules.
Archie and Lilibet have now attended their new school for two weeks, with the latest security alert passed on to Home Office committee RAVEC, which is assessing their claim for official protection.
Archie and Lilibet's change of school
Archie and Lilibet were pulled out of their original schools in the UK earlier this month, HELLO! exclusively revealed.
Heavy traffic in the area had put their small, private security team under strain, meaning the school was sadly no longer a feasible option.
"It’s a real shame, because they absolutely adored the school, the kids and their parents. It was perfect for them in every way, and the children really enjoyed their time there," a friend of the couple told us at the time.
© Instagram"They really wanted to make it work, but they had to make a difficult decision based on the fact that the team couldn’t make the school run operationally secure."
Harry gave an update on the situation over the weekend while speaking to Canadian network CTV after completing a charity skydive.
He told the broadcaster things are going “great” after the family returned to Britain on 26 August.
Speaking of his children, the Prince said: "The kids are happy in school, and it gives me a chance to really focus on Invictus in Birmingham.
Harry and Meghan's security concerns in the UK
Harry and Meghan employ private security guards, but they're unable to carry guns or access state-level intelligence.
The couple's automatic, 24-hour police protection was removed when they stepped down as working members of the royal family in 2020.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesBritish authorities have only provided them with the phone number of a police liaison officer upon their return, it's understood.
However, Meghan has been granted her first government-backed security review, while Harry has been seeking to have his VIP protection reinstated and reviewed by RAVEC.
He previously told the BBC in May 2025, after losing his case at the Court of Appeal, that he "couldn't see a world" in which he brought his wife and family back to the UK.
