Prince Harry’s children have been subjected to intrusive surveillance by certain European paparazzi while attending school in the English countryside, a spokesperson for the family announced on Wednesday. The behavior was described as an extremely reckless violation of the family’s privacy.
This incident marks the latest security challenge for Harry, the younger son of King Charles, following his recent move from California to Britain with his American wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie, aged 7, and Princess Lilibet, aged 5. The family has taken extensive measures to keep the location of their new residence and the children’s school confidential.
Due to heavy traffic along the route to their initial school, which raised concerns for their safety, the children have already been transferred to a different institution. The spokesperson revealed that photographers had been seen walking around the perimeter of the new school, pausing to peer inside and observe the children on the premises.
“The photographers’ decision to behave in this manner around a school is extraordinarily reckless,” the spokesperson emphasized. While the British media have generally respected the family’s privacy since their return, the spokesperson noted that some European paparazzi remain unwilling to honor the privacy of children at school.
Harry, 42, has long held the press responsible for the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a 1997 car crash while fleeing paparazzi. His protective stance over his family’s privacy is strong, drawing parallels between the media treatment of Meghan and that which his mother endured.
Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020 and becoming private citizens, Harry and Meghan have maintained their own security detail. However, they are seeking automatic police protection from the British government, similar to that provided to other senior royals.
Harry’s elder brother, Prince William, the heir to the throne, has faced comparable issues with European paparazzi and has successfully pursued privacy cases against French publications that published unauthorized photos of his family when off official duty.
The relationship between the brothers has been strained since Harry’s departure from royal duties and the release of his memoir, which detailed their estrangement and included critical remarks about the royal family.
