The move comes as Meghan Markle’s number was reportedly shared from a parents’ WhatsApp group
New guidance has been issued to parents whose children attend the same school as Prince Harry and Meghan’s children in a move many have slammed as “totally unnecessary”.
After the family moved back to the UK, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, have been enrolled in new schools. However, Harry and Meghan reported security concerns at the first school the children attended due to traffic, and relocated them to a second new school last week closer to their temporary home.
It is reported that the pair have now issued guidance over the conduct of parents and care-givers of students at the village prep-school, as well as to a school more than 30 minutes away.
It comes after the Duchess of Sussex’s phone number was reportedly shared from a parents’ WhatsApp chat.
Parents at neighbouring schools, which play sport against each other, have been warned to only take photos of their own children when supporting them play.
In the letter sent to parents this week, the school stressed the “important of only taking photos of your own children”, The Mirror reports.
One parent told the outlet: “It can’t be a coincidence that these notices are going out now just after Harry and Meghan have moved their children into the local area.
“It’s complete overkill, everyone knows the boundaries, and could you imagine the uproar from other parents if someone was discovered purposely taking pictures of children that weren’t theirs. I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come because it’s totally unnecessary.”
The family moved back to the UK last month after spending six years in the US, but it was found their private security firm failed to do a recce of the first school for the kids in the centre of Oxford.
A source close to the royal pair said the city traffic left the family like “sitting ducks” as they got stuck between cars on the school run.
It was advised the children should be pulled out of the school over the heavy term-time traffic which turned the 30-minute journey into an hour.
The new school is not just a short drive from their temporary home which avoids built-up areas.
Parents at Archie and Lilibet’s new school described the moment two 4×4 cars were “rushing” down the country lane near to the school before Harry and Meghan were spotted with their security team and children outside the school entrance on their first day.
The parent said: “Everyone is very down to earth and normal here. We all help each other and help out whenever we can with school events. We would hope all new parents want to get involved and immerse themselves in school life and the wider community.”
Prince Harry has been candid about his security fears for his family in the UK, after having taken the British government to court twice over the decision to strip him of taxpayer-funded security granted to royal family members.
He now has new hope the government might fork out the estimated £5m a year bill for the security of his family when the Home Office confirmed it would conduct a review into the threat against him and Meghan as they returned to the UK.
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