EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's UK Return Sparks British School 'Chaos'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to Britain has sparked "chaos" around speculation over where their children will attend school, and Radaronline.com can reveal that one institution has now been forced to address rumors that the young royals were joining.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have returned to the UK with Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, following six years in California.

Archie is beginning Year 3 while his sister enters Year 1, but their school is being kept secret for security reasons – fueling intense speculation among parents and local communities.

A source familiar with the situation claimed to Radar: "It has created an extraordinary amount of gossip and, frankly, some chaos. Parents are asking whether Archie and Lilibet are coming, people are speculating about security, and there are questions about photographers and media attention. Schools understandably don't want rumors disrupting the beginning of term, as it causes chaos among staff and pupils."

One Oxfordshire preparatory school has already taken the unusual step of addressing speculation directly.

A letter obtained by HELLO! reportedly told parents that "despite the gossip" there had been "no application" from Archie and Lilibet as of September 1, adding that its admissions department remained "ever vigilant."

The intervention came after reports suggested the Sussex children had secured places at a British school following their family's transatlantic move.

Their eventual destination has not been disclosed.

"The difficulty is that even a completely incorrect rumor can cause disruption," one insider claimed. "Once people believe the Sussex children might be attending a particular school, suddenly everyone is talking about security, privacy and press attention. That isn't a normal situation for teachers or other families to navigate."

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield said officials had contacted local families about policies surrounding potentially high-profile pupils.

She said: "The message sent to families essentially said that, from time to time, some families joining the school may attract a greater level of public or media interest."

Grace Moody-Stuart, education director at the Good Schools Guide, previously suggested Archie and Lilibet would benefit from attending the same institution.

She told Hello!: "I think they would be wise to do that because it is a big culture shock, however much, you know, their father's British, etc. I think it's a massive culture shock moving from a different country."

Stuart also praised country schools for not necessarily being intensely academically selective.

Harry attended Mrs Mynor's Nursery School and Wetherby School before moving to Ludgrove School and eventually Eton College.

But schooling in Britain has previously been a sensitive issue for Markle.

In 2022, she expressed fears about the media attention Archie could face if educated in the UK, particularly during the school run.

Markle told The Cut: "Sorry, I have a problem with that. That doesn't make me obsessed with privacy. That makes me a strong and good parent protecting my child."

A source claimed: "Harry and Meghan's priority is giving Archie and Lilibet as normal a school experience as possible. The irony is that enormous speculation about where they're going makes achieving that normality considerably harder."

Harry and Markle's relationship with the Royal Family deteriorated after they stepped down as working royals in 2020 and moved to California.

Their Oprah Winfrey interview, Netflix documentary, and Harry's memoir Spare deepened tensions, particularly with Prince William, although Harry has since pursued reconciliation with King Charles.