Harry & Meghan Condemn Photographers at Archie and Lilibet’s School as Police Investigate

0:03 Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I am your host, Mark Francis. Harry and Meghan have condemned photographers they say were watching Archie and Lilibet's school as police investigate the incident. ITV News reports that two men carrying backpacks were seen near the school for several hours before leaving in a rented van. Sky News says the family's private security team and school staff spotted them and that police identified them as international photographers working for a European press agency. A Sussex spokesperson called their behaviour extraordinarily reckless. There is a world of difference between legitimate media activity and photographers walking the perimeter of a school, stopping to look into the grounds and monitoring children as they go about their day. Whatever photographs they may have been seeking, This was not only an unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of children, it was an irresponsible and ill-considered way to conduct themselves in the vicinity of a school.

1:11 According to ITV's royal editor Chris Shipp, the van's registration was passed to police, who traced the rental details to a driving license belonging to an international photographer. ITV quotes an unnamed insider describing the man as doing reconnaissance. for a number of hours. Neither report includes a response from the photographers or their agency. The incident comes roughly two weeks after Archie and Lilibet changed schools. Their parents' security team had raised concerns about the journey to the previous school, including the distance and heavy traffic. Sky also reports that their vehicle convoy had been disrupted on one occasion. Details of the latest incident have been passed to RAVEC, the Home Office Committee, reviewing the family's request for police protection.

1:57 According to ITV, the broadcaster reports that Harry and Meghan currently have access to a police liaison officer alongside their own private guards. It says Harry considers that arrangement zero security because of the time officers could take to reach the family in an emergency. The review of the Sussex's police protection remains unresolved. In his substack, Royal Insider Deep Crown writes... These are not the actions of journalists. They are the actions of people who have made a calculation that a photograph of Archie or Lilibet Sussex is worth whatever discomfort, whatever fear, whatever violation is required to obtain it. It is repugnant, full stop. Children going to school is not complicated. Whatever one thinks of their parents, Archie and Lilibet are 6 and 11 years old. They did not choose any of this. They did not write a memoir or give an interview or move to California or come back again. They are children trying to get through a school day. In The Independent, Kate Rosinski writes, Harry's hypocrisy in joining forces with Jeff Bezos isn't lost on anyone.

3:04 According to Rosinski, one of them is a prince of the United Kingdom, the other is the king of next-day delivery around the world. Are Prince Harry and Jeff Bezos about to strike up an unholy alliance? Or perhaps worse, a bromance? Amazon's support of the Invictus Games says, hasn't come from nowhere, the company previously backed the 2025 Vancouver Whistler event. But the seemingly burgeoning connection between the Duke of Sussex and Bezos is an interesting one, not to say complicated, especially for a prince who has devoted much of his post-royal life to advocating for more honest conversations about climate change, mental health and the risks of burnout. Although Harry and Meghan have left California behind, swapping it for the Cotswolds, they still know the power of tech money, which is currently sweeping through the worlds of fashion, entertainment and philanthropy, a broligarch like Bezos wouldn't be the first person to spring to mind when it comes to style.

3:59 But that didn't stop him becoming a lead sponsor of the Met Gala earlier this year. So Harry certainly wouldn't be the first to argue that Bezos' billions might be better put to good use than spent on rockets and other luxuries in the super-rich toy box. Prince Harry now believes through a world where philanthropy, big, business and celebrity all collide, but making nice with billionaires will almost always sit uneasily alongside activism. This rumoured team-up might just provide more ammunition for Harry's critics when it comes to allegations of hypocrisy and picking his friends poorly. Prince Harry's sustainable travel initiative Travellist recorded a loss of £ 13, 542 in 2025, but says the spending was planned. Some reports that newly released annual accounts show Travelist Limited moved into the red after making a profit the previous year. A spokesperson said, It was a planned and small loss of £ 13, 000, very typical of a lean, not-for-profit organisation making a critical investment for the future. Travelist remains confident in its financial oversight and strength of its partnerships. Harry established the UK-based initiative in 2019. Its partners include TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Visa and Expedia.

5:14 Megan's recent as-ever promotional video has been recreated by a parody account called the Duchess of Sus. Sus posted a sketch on TikTok and Instagram copying Megan's movements with exaggerated poses and a collection of fruit and a leafy twig. The original shows Megan in white jeans and a blue striped shirt carrying produce, smiling towards the camera and holding a cup of tea. One viewer wrote, My fave duchess showcase her sun tea in a totally normal, not robotic or unhinged way at all. Her awkward soap opera poses and packaged salad is such an elegant touch. Another added, I'd been waiting for this because M's original was absolutely asking to be mocked. More Palace in just a moment.

5:59 William and Kate were waiting at the finish as Sir Kevin Sinfield completed the third day of his seven years Ultra Marathons in Seven Days Challenge for motor neurone disease charities. The couple joined him at Wakefield's DIY Kitchens Stadium on Tuesday after visiting the Leeds Rhinos at Headingley to hear about the club's community work and continuing legacy of Rob Burrow. Sinfield thanked them for supporting his former teammate who died in 2024 and Burrow's family. Princess William, Princess Catherine, you've been such big supporters of the work we've tried to do. You've been such big supporters of Rob, Lindsay and the full Burrow family. To have you here today is incredible and brings real credibility and awareness to the MND community.

6:41 With that credibility, we can do even more. Sinfield also credited those helping him through the challenge. Earlier in the day, Kate had marveled at the distance involved. He's super fit. He's doing seven ultramarathons in seven days. That's a lot of running. William added, If he can walk by the end of it, it's going to be amazing. His poor knees. Princess Anne had met Sinfield the previous day. Asked whether she would join a run, she replied, No thank you, I'll stick to horses. Kate gave a nervous young girl time to find her voice during a royal visit to Headingley Stadium in Leeds. Reality Tea reports that the child initially struggled to answer a question from the princess. The princess continued chatting with others nearby before turning back to her.

7:22 When an accompanying adult answered instead, Catherine brought the girl back into the conversation. According to the report, she gradually became more comfortable nodding and joining in. Some West Sussex residents had an unexpected visitor at their front door on Wednesday, the Princess of Wales, there to help them aboard a community minibus. Kate joined a pickup journey with West Sussex Minibus as the volunteer-run charity celebrated its 50th anniversary. She helped passengers from their homes into the vehicle and heard how the service keeps them connected to friends, medical appointments, shops and social activities. Catherine spoke with passengers about isolation, independence and the a fact that regular contact with others has on their well-being. She also met drivers and other volunteers who organise and run the service. Writing for Woman magazine, Royal commentator Duncan Larcombe shares, Prince William and Kate Middleton have proved the old adage, actions speak louder than words.

8:17 So far, William and Kate have avoided saying anything publicly about the years-long feud with the Sussexes. They are clearly keen to meet the challenge posed by Harry and Meghan head-on. It is often the subtle signs that count for so much when observing the actions and behavior of members of the royal family. And there you have it. If you'd like to email us, our address is thepalaceintrigue at gmail.com. If you're on Spotify, leave us a comment. If you're on Apple, hit that button up there that says listen uninterrupted and get the show commercial free for just five bucks a month. We appreciate your support. I'm Mark Francis. My thanks to John McDermott. This is Palace Intrigue. Good times.