Former Palace Spokesperson Blasts Harry and Meghan's School Run Scramble — 'A Very Serious Mistake'
EXCLUSIVE: Dickie Arbiter tells Royal Observer's Joshua Rom that Harry & Meghan's school security muddle coud have been easily avoided.
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to pull Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet out of their new schools within days has reignited the Sussexes' fight for automatic police protection in the UK. The Royal Observer’s Associate Editor, Joshua Rom, recently discussed the ongoing security issue with former palace spokesperson, Dickie Arbiter, who believed the move hinted at a lack of preparation from the Sussexes’ side.
Arbiter, who has spent a good amount of time in the royal fold, claimed Harry and Markle made a “very serious mistake” by returning to the UK, believing they could “pick up” where they left off. “Look what is happening here,” he said to Rom, referring to Archie and Lilibet’s sudden school change due to protection issues.
Highlighting their lack of homework, he believed the Sussexes should have taken “advice” from authorities, which could have helped them prepare for this big transition. “We speak English in the United Kingdom. His security team also speak English, albeit with an American accent. There are police forces that you can talk to, and you ask them. You ask, you seek advice, and obviously they didn't seek advice,” he stated. The former press secretary said a 45-minute drive to school is a “long way” and traffic would only make matters worse. He questioned why the Sussexes’ team didn’t consider the “traffic problems” that could arise during school runs and do a proper recce.
Rom further pointed out that doing a recce “out of term time” and by “just traveling the roads” won’t be accurate from a security perspective, considering there will be “loads of extra vehicles” on the way when school terms start.
Arbiter added that the Sussexes eventually got stuck in a “traffic jam,” questioning their need for a “convoy of two cars”. However, Rom noted why Harry and Markle might not divulge much about their protection detail, saying, “Listen, that's one of those things where, of course, security when it comes to Harry is very much an ongoing issue. So for whatever reason that they feel that they might need two cars, I think that's more up to them. And it's one of those things where, you know, they would never reveal the exact reasons why due to, I think, those security concerns.”
Shortly after Archie and Lilibet were pulled out of their new schools, it was revealed that Markle’s WhatsApp number had been leaked. However, marking a significant step forward in the Sussexes’ fight for state-funded security, RAVEC recently announced that a risk assessment would be conducted for Markle, a first since she left the monarchy in 2020.
As for Buckingham Palace’s involvement in the security issue, King Charles’ guidance letter clarified that the matter was entirely up to the relevant authorities. The letter also stated, in no uncertain terms, that the Sussexes are in the UK in a private capacity and are not working royals.
