Meghan’s birthday tribute to Harry after children were ‘removed from school’ due to security fears

Meghan Markle has posted nine new family photographs to celebrate Prince Harry’s 42nd birthday today.

The Duchess of Sussex uploaded the images of the prince with her and their children to her Instagram account with the caption: ‘He’s simply the best. Happy birthday, my love’, along with a heart emoji.

The pictures show Harry on outdoor adventures with Meghan, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, as well as their labrador Pula. He is seen kissing Lilibet in one and carrying her bicycle in another.

The duke is also shown driving a quad bike down a track with Lilibet and Archie in the back, sat either side of a Marks & Spencer bag as their dog follows behind.

The montage is accompanied by an excerpt from indie folk duo The Hound and The Fox’s song ‘Simply the Best’, a cover of the Tina Turner classic.

It comes as the Sussexes were revealed to have already moved Archie and Lilibet to a new school after the family relocated from the US on August 26.

The children had only just started classes in England, but they will now join another school after the lengthy journey was said to have caused issues for the security team.

A spokesman for the Sussexes said: ‘The decision for the children to move school was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements.

‘The parents remain extremely grateful to all the teachers and staff for the love, care and effort they have shown their family.

‘This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there.’

Sources close to the couple said the decision was made due to the practicalities of getting the children there and back.

Hello! magazine quoted a friend of the couple saying: ‘It’s a real shame, because they absolutely adored the school, the kids and their parents. It was perfect for them in every way and the children really enjoyed their time there.

‘They really wanted to make it work, but they had to make a difficult decision based on the fact that the team couldn’t make the school run operationally secure.’

Archie and Lilibet will now join another school in the area after visiting for a taster session on Monday.

Harry was spotted settling Lilibet into reception and the couple have been added to the parents’ Whatsapp groups, it was said.

A source close to Harry and Meghan also told People that settling the children ‘has been, and remains, their focus. Everything else will fall into place when the time is right’.

They added: ‘There is a lot to do. They have just moved halfway across the world and it’s been really busy getting the kids settled. Their focus has been on that, and will remain on that, for the time being. They are happy to be back.’

The dramatic development came as it emerged that Harry’s demand for taxpayer-funded police protection is being ‘reviewed’ now he is back in Britain.

The duke and duchess are said to have been informed that ‘a decision’ was made at a meeting last week to examine the threat to both of them.

The prince has been at loggerheads with the Home Office for years over its decision to remove his automatic right to security. Harry has long argued that he was born a prince and needs police protection when in the UK.

But he lost a series of legal battles against the Home Office which deemed he had forfeited the right to be able to call at will on taxpayer-funded protection after he quit as a frontline royal in 2020 and moved to a new life in California.

Only last year, after yet another defeat at the Royal Courts of Justice – against his father His Majesty’s government – the prince declared in a petulant BBC interview that he could not imagine a time when he could safely bring his family to his country of birth.

But now that he has had a sudden change of heart, bringing Meghan and his children to live in the UK, his access to police protection is being reviewed, it was reported yesterday evening.

The decision is said to involve reviewing the risks to Prince Harry and also to his wife.

ITV News said the Home Office committee that decides on security provision for high-profile royals and politicians – known as Ravec – has written to Harry informing him a ‘full review’ will take place.

If true, then this decision defies complaints made by Team Sussex about the meeting held last week by Ravec, the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures

Some in Harry’s camp had accused Buckingham Palace of trying to scupper the Ravec meeting with King Charles’s bombshell letter last week which made clear Buckingham Palace’s view that the Sussexes were ‘private citizens’ not working royals.

Harry and Meghan were taken by surprise by the letter – written by the Lord Chamberlain – and would prefer to be known as ‘public figures’, it was made clear by sources close to them.

They believed the timing of the letter may have been an attempt to influence the Ravec committee on whether to reinstate Harry’s taxpayer-funded security.

At the time, the Daily Mail reported that such claims were incorrect, and the letter was sent out by the palace to offer clarity ahead of a busy programme for the Sussexes, not to interfere with his battles with the Home Office committee.

In fact, those close to the King believed the move could make it easier for him to see his son privately.

Last night, Harry’s fears that the letter could have been designed to block his bid for security appeared unfounded with the news that Ravec is going to fully review his need for protection for him and his family.

ITV News’s royal correspondent Chris Ship said: ‘It was decided that Harry should get a full review of his security now that he is resident in his home country and his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, have started classes at a British school.’

It was said the official review carried out by Ravec, called a Risk Management Board (RMB), would be conducted for both Harry and Meghan. It would be the first review of the potential risks and threats facing Meghan since the couple left the Monarchy in 2020.

He was criticised by some British officers for his decision to boast in his 2023 memoir Spare about how many people he had killed during his battles against the Taliban.

Some suggested this had massively increased his need for protection against those who might seek revenge.

Scotland Yard does not discuss the security arrangements of royals but it is understood that protection is arranged on a case-by-case basis and is constantly under review.

During some recent UK events attended by Harry, such as charity evenings, he has clearly been afforded police security.

Harry and Meghan also pay millions for private security. But in America, their bodyguards may be able to shoot people deemed a threat.

In Britain, their close protection agents are not allowed to carry guns, explaining why the duke is desperate to reinstate his automatic police protection.

The Home Office said: ‘The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate.

‘It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.’

In January 2020, Harry and Meghan had announced they intended to step back as ‘senior’ members of the royal family, become financially independent, still support Queen Elizabeth II, but split their time between the UK and North America.

But the late Queen ruled at the Sandringham Summit, which was convened to resolve the Megxit crisis, that the couple could not be half in and half out.