Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to pull their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, from school has sparked strong reactions. Now, a royal expert is weighing in on what the couple allegedly failed to consider before enrolling their children in the school.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s move to the UK has already created a lot of headlines. They arrived a few weeks ago and, according to reports, are staying in the Cotswolds while looking for a home.
Before the move, Harry and Meghan enrolled their children in school. But things now appear to have taken a sharp turn, with the couple confirming that their children have already switched schools.
A spokesperson for the couple confirmed the decision in a statement to Sky News.
“The decision for the children to move school was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements,” the spokesperson said.
“The parents remain extremely grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they have shown their family. This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there.”
Why they pulled their children from school
The distance to the school, as well as heavy traffic in the area, appears to have put pressure on the family’s security team and made the daily school run difficult to manage.
“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. 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,” a friend of Harry and Meghan’s told Hello! Magazine
The decision to remove the children from the school has since faced widespread criticism online, with some questioning whether the logistical problems should have been anticipated beforehand.
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield alleged that the traffic should have been expected, and that the situation is a result of poor planning.
“None of these logistical problems are a surprise,” Schofield told Page Six. “When I was speaking to people locally about the original school, one of the first things I was warned about was the horrific traffic.”
“I was told you need the patience of a saint to navigate that area during the school run. Then you factor in the distance from where the Sussexes are currently staying and the different schedules for two children of different ages, and this meant making that 45-minute journey four times a day.”
“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.”
“A very foreseeable school-run problem”
The school switch also comes as Harry awaits a decision from the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC) on whether his family should receive taxpayer-funded security now that they have returned to live in the UK.
Schofield understands why the timing of the school decision is causing backlash from the public.
“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.”
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