A former royal protection officer has hit back at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after they issued a statement when paparazzi were spotted outside Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s school.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex branded two international paparazzi who were seen looking into the grounds of their children's school as extraordinarily reckless and accused them of an unacceptable intrusion into their privacy. Earlier this week, two young men carrying backpacks are understood to have been seen by both private security and school staff walking the perimeter of the Sussex children’s school, stopping at various points and looking into the grounds.
Sussex statement on paparazzi
A spokesman for Harry and Meghan, who moved back to the UK last month, called the actions “an extraordinary lack of judgment” in the wake of the suspected terror plot near RAF Fairford, with a number of American children with families connected to the base said to attend the school.
He said: “The decision by photographers to conduct themselves in this way around a school is extraordinarily reckless.
“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. It is concerning enough that certain European paparazzi appear unwilling to respect the privacy of children at school.
“But to behave in this manner in these particular circumstances, and so soon after the incident at RAF Fairford, demonstrates an extraordinary lack of judgment.
“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.”
Former protection officer responds
Just hours after the statement from the Sussex spokesperson was shared, a former royal protection officer hit back at the claims, saying the paparazzi presence is ‘expected’ at the school given their public profile.
Dai Davis, former head of Met Police security for the Royal Family, told The Sun: “Every week their so-called security team has to come up with new things. Paparazzi is not a security incident. It is just to be expected. It’s not unrealistic to expect some paparazzi who will chance their arm; the security team can deal with that easily.
“I hope Ravec aren’t swayed and common sense prevails as all the incidents amount to sweet FA. There’s no comparison to Fairford. It’s bordering on shameless but ridiculous as well.”
RAF Fairford incident and security review
The paparazzi incident is understood to have taken place just 48 hours after five men were arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, with a farmer discovering three vans blocking a road in the early hours of Sunday. The base has been used in recent months by US bombers to launch air strikes against Iran.
Harry has long shared his intense security fears for his family, taking the British government to court twice over the decision to strip him of taxpayer-funded security, when he stepped down as a working royal.
The prince was handed new hope of getting the government to foot the estimated £5million a year bill for his security when the Home Office confirmed it would carry out a new review into the threat against him and wife Meghan, following the family's return to the UK.
