Prince Harry celebrates his 42nd birthday today with wife Meghan sharing a sweet tribute to “my love” – just hours after it emerged the couple have moved their children to a new school after security concerns.
The Duchess of Sussex took to her Instagramaccount to share a series of unseen photos. It included the message: “He’s simply the best. Happy birthday, my love.” The photos included Harry holding Lilibet’s hand while they were both skiing, Harry driving the kids on an ATV, and a sweet photo of him kissing Meghan in an orchard.
Harry celebrates his birthday today – just weeks after he, Meghan and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet made the shock return to the UK after six years of living in California.
So far, there have been no public birthday wishes for Harry from either the official Royal Family or Prince and Princess of Wales social accounts. Both last sent him a birthday message on his milestone 40th birthday two years ago.
Meghan’s post comes after it emerged that Archie and Lilibet only just started the new school year in England after the family relocated from the US a little over two weeks ago.
But they will now join another one, after heavy traffic and the lengthy journey to the school reportedly put the Sussexes’ security team under strain, Hello! magazine reported.
A spokesperson for the couple told the publication: “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.”
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 – and the King recently said the agreement still stands.
The school move comes after a reported meeting last week of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), which is responsible for making decisions about royal security.
Harry is waiting to hear the conclusion of the Risk Management Board’s threat assessment and Ravec is expected to decide at the meeting as to whether the Sussex family should be entitled to taxpayer-funded security now they live in the UK.
It is understood that the committee chairman wrote to the duke last week confirming that in light of their changed circumstances, it had commissioned a new risk assessment for him and a separate one for Meghan.
It is shaping up to be a big week for the Duke of Sussex, as he is understood to begin his first public engagements in Britain later this week since coming back to his homeland.
Harry will attend the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards and the launch of the Invictus education programme INSPIRE, as well as taking part in one of his favourite annual occasions, the WellChild Awards.
On Sunday, Meghan also shared a video montage showing family outings back in the UK. The footage posted on Instagram features Meghan with her family on outdoor adventures in England, including country walks and fishing, to the tune of Wham!’s Wake Me Up Before You Go Go. A Union flag and red heart emoji sit at the top of the video.
The Sussexes recently moved Archie and Lilibet out of their new school over security fears(Image: Meghan/Instagram )
In recent days, seven-year-old Archie and Lilibet, aged five, have started at a new school in Britain with a source close to the Sussexes telling People magazine that settling the children “has been, and remains, their focus. Everything else will fall into place when the time is right”.
The remarks, the first real insight into the Sussexes’ thoughts on the move, came in the midst of what is seen as growing tension between the Sussex camp and the royal household.
Harry and Meghan were said to be “surprised” by the formal letter sent by the Lord Chamberlain last week under the direction of the King to senior stakeholders in the Government and military, which described them as “private citizens”.
The duke and duchess, who are waiting to hear whether they will be given taxpayer-funded security, are reported to prefer the term “public figures”.
A source close to the Sussexes also blamed the Lord Chamberlain’s letter for Uganda’s decision to pull out of the the duke’s 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham.
Team Sussex, who were given about an hour’s notice of the release of the letter on Monday, say they did not have time to clarify any of the points.
