Meghan Markle has reportedly discovered that children have specific protections under Britain's press rules, which could offer Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet greater privacy at school.
This comes after two men were spotted near the children's school, prompting a police investigation. One of the men was reportedly identified as a photographer linked to a European press agency.
Harry and Meghan's spokesperson described the reported conduct as 'extraordinarily reckless'.
prince archie and princess lilibet, harry and meghan’s personal cameramen😭💘💘 pic.twitter.com/ZaTWI8E0aZ
— meg 𓍼 (@megsversion) September 13, 2026
School Privacy
The incident has brought attention to the rules governing how journalists interact with children during their education.
The Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code states that pupils should be able to complete their time at school without unnecessary intrusion.
It also requires school permission to approach or photograph pupils and provides extra protection for children under 16 in welfare-related coverage. Such coverage requires consent from a parent or a similarly responsible adult.
Importantly, a parent's fame, notoriety or position alone is not sufficient grounds for publishing details of a child's private life.
When Things Go Wrong
Other famous families have previously faced unwanted media attention around their children.
Jennifer Garner testified that paparazzi followed her family and crowded around her children during everyday activities, including school trips. She later supported California Senate Bill 606, which sought tougher penalties for paparazzi harassment involving children.
In 2005, paparazzi followed David Beckham's son Brooklyn to football school and photographed Romeo at nursery in Madrid. Beckham later explained how the encounter frightened his children while he was working.
'Brooklyn was going to a football school, but then the paparazzi turned up, started harassing him and chased him into the school,' he said. 'This is a six-year-old little boy I'm talking about, and, for me, that is crossing the line. Brooklyn was scared; he was definitely affected by it.'
Although the cases differ in circumstances and countries, they highlight the impact media attention can have on famous families and their children.
Meghan Reportedly Surprised
The experiences of other high-profile families help explain Meghan's interest in the issue.
Entertainment journalist Rob Shuter reported that a royal insider told him, 'Meghan is stunned. She and Harry thought they understood the British press better than anyone. They didn't realise how specifically children are protected here.'
The source compared those protections with the intense media attention Harry faced growing up in the royal family.
'They thought California meant protection and Britain meant intrusion,' the source said. 'What they're discovering is that, when it comes specifically to press protections surrounding children and schools, Britain has rules that could give Archie and Lilibet protections Harry simply didn't have growing up.'
Shuter attributed the comments to an unnamed source; neither Meghan nor Harry has confirmed them.
What the Rules Mean
The Editors' Code of Practice is a self-regulatory framework rather than British law. IPSO, the Independent Press Standards Organisation and the UK's largest press regulator, enforces the Code among its member publications. However, the Code allows exceptions where an exceptional public interest exists.
IPSO's guidance says the school-related protection is intended to prevent unnecessary intrusion into a child's education and can apply throughout a child's full-time education.
For the Sussex children, the rules could limit some forms of media attention while they are at school. However, they do not provide complete privacy from such incidents.
