A former royal household aide has issued a blunt public message to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, telling them to 'go back,' amid renewed scrutiny of the couple's approach to privacy and security since their return to the UK.
Speaking to TalkTV host Jeremy Kyle, former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter criticised what he described as inconsistencies in the Sussexes' approach, suggesting their public calls for privacy sit uneasily alongside a highly visible social media presence. The criticism followed Markle's recent Instagram story showing their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, during a countryside outing. In the video, Archie rode a scooter down a tree-lined country lane while Lilibet walked nearby carrying a backpack, with the family's black Labrador, Pula, also appearing. The clip was set to The Temptations' song 'My Girl.'
Arbiter's remarks were reported by the Daily Express. He said: 'Look, if they're so concerned with security, don't tell people where you are. Don't tell people what you're doing, and don't post on social media. It seems to be a double standard and hypocrisy.' He also questioned whether public funds should cover security for the non-working royals, and suggested the couple had struggled to establish themselves in the US and were now returning with the assumption that doors would automatically open for them in Britain.
The video landed less than two weeks after the Sussexes criticised photographers who were reportedly spotted monitoring the grounds of Archie and Lilibet's school. According to reports, two men carrying backpacks were seen walking around the school's perimeter and looking into the grounds, prompting concerns from school staff and the family's private security team. A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan described the incident as an 'unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of children' and called the photographers' behaviour 'extraordinarily reckless.'
Critics of the Sussexes have seized on the sequence of events — publicly condemning a school security scare, then posting identifiable footage of the children — as evidence of mixed messaging. Supporters respond that sharing controlled family content on a private social media account is entirely different from strangers photographing a school.
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of unresolved friction between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family. Sources have claimed that Prince William refuses to reconcile with his younger brother, who made startling allegations against the family after relocating from the UK in 2020. Harry's security arrangements are now under review, with the committee responsible for royal protection set to reassess his situation, while Markle would receive a separate review. The couple have paid for private security since stepping back from royal duties, while continuing to challenge the loss of taxpayer-funded police protection in Britain.
Neither the Sussexes nor their representatives have publicly responded to Arbiter's comments.