LONDON – Prince Harryand Duchess Meghan have condemned the behavior of photographers spotted lurking outside their children's school as "extraordinarily reckless."
British police are investigating after two men carrying backpacks were spotted by both private security and school staff walking the perimeter of the school, stopping at various points and staring into the grounds.
Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5 were forced to leave their first school over security concerns and have been at their new school for just two weeks. The incident has sparked fresh security concerns for the Sussexes, who lost their taxpayer-funded security shortly after they announced in 2020 that they were stepping back from their roles as senior royals.
"The decision
by photographers to conduct themselves in this way around a school is extraordinarily reckless," a spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told USA TODAY. "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."
USA TODAY understands that the men were initially seen separately and were subsequently observed together before returning to a white van, which police later established was a rental vehicle.
Meghan and Harry's spokesman branded it "concerning" that some members of European paparazzi "appear unwilling to respect the privacy of children at school."
"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,” the spokesman said.
While British photographers and members of the media have seemingly honored a request from the Independent Press Standards Organisation not to identify the location or name of Archie and Lilibet's school or the Sussexes' new home, the same rules do not apply to photographers working for international media outlets.
USA TODAY has reached out to British police for comment.
The incident is the latest in a string of security issues, including Meghan's phone number being leaked earlier this month after she joined a WhatsApp group for parents.
The Sussexes returned to Britain in late August after spending six years away from Harry's home country. While the location of the couple's new family home has not been publicly shared, the pair are believed to have settled in the Cotswolds, a sprawling area of English countryside, around two hours from London.
The Sussex family currently relies on a private security firm, though it is understood British officials are reviewing their protection arrangements.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prince Harry, Meghan slam 'reckless' photographers lurking outside kids' school
