Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have made a major change to their children’s education just days after Archie and Lilibet started school in the UK.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly withdrawn their children from their new school after just two days.
Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, had only just begun their new school chapter after Harry and Meghan returned to Britain with their children.
However, the couple are now understood to have chosen another school in the area.
Harry and Meghan make sudden school change
According to reports, the children attended their original school for just two days before being withdrawn.
HELLO! reported that the decision was not because of concerns about the school itself, with a source describing it as a place the children had ‘absolutely adored.’
Instead, the issue reportedly centred on getting Archie and Lilibet safely to and from the school.
Heavy traffic and the distance between the school and the Sussexes’ new home are understood to have made the journey difficult for their private security team.
One incident reportedly made it difficult for the family’s vehicles to remain together in convoy, prompting further concerns about whether the school run could be carried out securely.
The couple’s spokesman said the decision followed discussions with their security team and stressed that it was not a reflection on the school or its staff.
Archie and Lilibet to start again
The children are now expected to join another school nearby after reportedly attending a taster session.
The move comes remarkably quickly after Archie and Lilibet had met their new classmates and begun settling into life at their first school.
HELLO! reported that Prince Harry was seen settling Lilibet into reception, while Harry and Meghan had also been added to parents’ WhatsApp groups.
The sudden change has inevitably attracted attention, particularly because the couple’s return to the UK has put their security arrangements firmly back under the spotlight.
Sussexes face fresh security review
The school switch comes as Harry and Meghan’s security situation in Britain is also being reassessed.
The BBC reports that the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, known as Ravec, is set to review the couple’s publicly funded security following their return to live in the UK.
The review will consider the risks faced by the Sussexes at their new home, as well as their regular movements, including journeys such as school runs.
The assessment will also consider the security needs of Archie and Lilibet.
Harry has previously fought a lengthy legal battle over his police protection in the UK, after his security arrangements changed when he and Meghan stepped down as working royals and moved to the United States.
In 2025, he lost his Court of Appeal challenge over the issue.
At the time, Harry said he could not see a situation in which he would bring his wife and children back to Britain.
Now, the family has returned, but the latest school decision shows that security remains a significant consideration.
Critics question the sudden decision
The news has prompted a strong reaction online, with some questioning why the security difficulties were not identified before Archie and Lilibet began attending the school.
On Mumsnet, one commenter wrote that they felt ‘so sorry for those kids,’ adding that the sudden change must be ‘really unsettling for them.’
Another described Archie and Lilibet as ‘poor kids,’ while one commenter questioned whether the situation could be connected to the wider debate over Harry and Meghan’s security provision.
Others were considerably more critical, with one poster claiming the couple were being ‘tiresomely transparent’ and suggesting the situation could ultimately result in the family returning to the US.
Those comments are opinions from individual users rather than evidence of the Sussexes’ intentions.
Security remains a major issue
For Harry and Meghan, the school switch is the latest development in an ongoing dispute over security in Britain.
HELLO! reports that the couple’s security team had carried out checks during the summer but was unable to properly assess the school run until the start of term.
The family’s decision to move schools therefore appears to have been driven by concerns over the journey rather than the education or care Archie and Lilibet received.
Their spokesman said the parents remained “extremely grateful” to the teachers and staff and insisted the move should not be interpreted as criticism of the school.
With Ravec now reviewing the Sussexes’ security arrangements, the latest development could add further scrutiny to Harry’s long-running campaign for greater protection for his family when they are in the UK.
