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The Sussexes' security concerns have still not been resolved
Meghan Markle is said to be feeling "nervous" about upcoming school runs, as her children prepare to enrol in a British school for the first time.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made their much-anticipated return to the UK, bringing seven-year-old Prince Archie and five-year-old Princess Lilibet with them as the family embarks on a new chapter on home soil.
After six years in California, the couple touched down last Wednesday and are understood to be staying at a private, non-royal property believed to be in the Cotswolds, though this remains unconfirmed.
Both children have been enrolled at a prep school ahead of the September term. The family's decision to relocate reportedly stems from a desire to have Archie and Lilibet educated in the UK.
The move had been under discussion for months, with sources indicating that circumstances finally "aligned" to make last week the optimal moment.
Yet the family's fresh start is already overshadowed by unresolved security concerns. Meghan is now said to be "nervous" about ferrying the children to and from school, given that their protection arrangements remain in limbo.
A friend of the duchess told The Sun: "The school run is a tricky issue and I understand they are nervous about it."
While in America, Harry had armed protection. In the UK, despite offering to cover the costs himself, the prince is unable to pay for armed guards or intelligence from the police.
The couple have remained largely behind closed doors since their arrival.
"They go out as they need to go out but it's a gilded cage without protective security," the source added.
The fixed timings of drop-offs and collections, the friend explained, significantly heighten the risk.
It has also emerged that the Duke of Sussex's legal team contacted Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood this month, pressing her to take a direct role in determining whether the duke and his family should receive police protection funded by the public purse.
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Within the letter, Harry's representatives claimed the chair of the executive committee for the protection of royalty and public figures (Ravec) did not pass on information about a terrorist threat despite being made aware, GB News confirmed.
The letter came amid revelations that the duke is furious with Britain's security management over its handling of a documented al-Qaeda threat.
In November 2023, intelligence shared with the FBI uncovered a document from the terrorist organisation that explicitly referenced the "assassination" of Prince Harry.
Compounding matters, it emerged that Harry provided the security committee with fewer than 14 days' notice of his return - well short of the required 28-day window previously agreed.
However, a Risk Management Board has now conducted its first formal threat assessment against the duke in seven years, passing its findings to Ravec, the independent committee that oversees protection for royals and other prominent figures.
The Home Office is understood to be "actively assessing" Harry's case now.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said previously it was a "private matter" and wished the couple well in their move.
Beyond schooling, the duke is also said to be motivated by a wish to live nearer to the Spencer side of his family. The family visited Earl Charles Spencer's Althorp estate in July, where Princess Diana is laid to rest.
A Government spokesman said: "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."
