Police are investigating two men who were seen surveilling a British school attended by Harry and Meghan’s children, sparking a major security alert for the Sussexes.
The incident was reported on Wednesday morning after a white van with two unidentified occupants was spotted near the school entrance.
The reported security scare comes just weeks after Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, were moved to a different school — closer to the family’s new home in the Cotswolds — after the Sussexes’ private team of bodyguards identified potential issues with traffic jams during drop off and pick up.
The children have been have been attending the new premises for the last two weeks.
It is believed that two individuals wearing backpacks had been seen “scouting out” the children’s school before driving away after “doing reconnaissance” on the school “for a number of hours” from the vehicle, British media reported.
Police have since identified the van as being a rented vehicle via its registration plate.
It’s believed the driver’s licence used to make the reservation belongs to an international photographer, with both men believed to be paparazzi.
Representatives for Prince Harry and Meghan have previously pleaded with media organisations to withhold the name of the school their children attend and the location of their new home in the Cotswolds.
Britain’s Independent Press Standards Organisation has also requested journalists show restraint when it comes to identifying places frequented by the Sussexes.
But the rules do not apply to international outlets and the photographers they hire.
Details of Wednesday’s incident have been passed on to the Home Office committee, known as RAVEC, which is currently assessing the Sussexes’ bid for police protection while they are living in the UK.
If successful, it would see the family receive taxpayer-funded security, something Prince Harry has fought for years after insisting it was unsafe for his wife and children to be in the UK without armed guards.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to Britain in August for what has been described as an “extended stay”.
While Prince Harry has carried out several public engagements since being back, Meghan has so far remained out of the spotlight.