LONDON – Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have changed their children's school for security reasons, just days after the start of the school year in England, where the couple recently resettled, British media reported on Monday.
The couple left Britain and stepped down from royal duties in 2020 amid a rift with the royal family. Harry subsequently waged a years-long, ultimately unsuccessful legal battle to retain taxpayer-funded security in the UK while living in California.
Now back in Britain with their seven-year-old son, Prince Archie, and five-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet, Harry has reportedly been pushing for police protection to be reinstated.
The family have reportedly chosen to live in the Cotswolds, a popular destination for celebrities in central England, and enrolled both children at a private school whose name has not been disclosed.
According to Hello! magazine, the distance to the school and heavy traffic along the route raised security concerns.
“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,” a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told the magazine.
Harry and Meghan's team did not respond to an AFP request for comment on Monday.
Harry and his family are currently using private security guards, but the prince has asked the government to provide police protection for him and his family, according to local media.
Britain's Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which is responsible for the protection of public and royal figures, met last week to discuss security arrangements for the prince's family, as he prepares to celebrate his 42nd birthday on Tuesday.
Ravec will conduct a detailed review of the threats facing the Duke of Sussex and his wife, the BBC reported.
King Charles III said his son, Harry and Meghan are not to be considered “working members of the royal family” after they moved back to Britain from the United States. –AFP