Jobson: The Sussexes need an alarm clock, not police protection, for the school run

In 2018-20, one of the most infuriating parts of the Sussex-drama in the British press was the wall-to-wall gaslighting over completely understandable issues, specifically involving security. Like, obviously, Prince Harry and Meghan were concerned about security. They were under siege on a daily basis, they were being insulted, mocked and terrorized by the press, and the Windsors sat idly, watching it happen and doing nothing. Whenever H&M raised completely normal security concerns, they were gaslighted and insulted. I specifically remember security experts pontificating in 2019 about how Archie didn’t need and would never need dedicated security, and their arguments boiled down to “well, he’s not high enough in the line of succession anyway, so no one would care if something happened to him.” Well, let’s do the time warp again, because we’ve got royal reporters gaslighting Harry and Meghan over their security concerns, this time about the school run. This week, H&M pulled Archie and Lili out of their school after two days and a hectic security situation. Robert Jobson thinks this is all a Sussex Ruse.

Harry and Meghan are using the latest school-run fiasco to pile pressure on the royal committee to pay for their security, experts say. Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, have been plucked out of their new school and moved to another just days into the new term amid commuting concerns. Concerns were reportedly raised when their convoy was broken up and cars were left like “sitting ducks” during the school run. But confused parents at the school joked that it “doesn’t take an expert” to know the commute would be busy.

Royal author Robert Jobson told Sun Studio: “It’s really sad that the kids are becoming the narrative here. The parents don’t really know what a school run is, because you just get up a little bit earlier. We’re told it’s a security issue. But it now transpires that it’s more to do with the school run and a traffic issue.

“It all coincides with Ravec’s decision to come back on whether they get full time security. It’s been dressed up that this is a major security incident. I think it’s more to do with an alarm clock and and them not getting up in time.”

He continued: “They have dressed the school run up as a security story. Harry failed at the High Court, now he is trying to strong-arm Ravec and the Home Office into giving him what he wants. I suggest they buy themselves an alarm clock, set it three quarters of an hour early and join the real world. Nobody asked him to come with his family to a country he deemed was unsafe.”

Royal expert Angela Levin agreed, adding: “It’s a way to get Ravec to pay an awful lot of money from us, from people who have earned their money, get their tax. Why should we do that? Archie and Lilibet had to be strong and brave to go into a class they didn’t know, not knowing either if the other children would be kind. The teaching would be different to America which would also be tricky. Plus having their title Princess and Prince and worrying if other pupils would make fun of them.

“Even worse, they were taken out of their home and class in California without anyone saying goodbye. And Is there really a problem with a lot of traffic in the Cotswolds? Or was it drama day to pressure the government into providing 24/7 security paid by the public while they do nothing in return? It seems very odd that nobody foresaw the problem before term started. Or perhaps they did.”

Robert added: “Now make up your mind. Make up your mind. You know we’re not stupid in the media. We’re being played here. There’s certainly no denying that just two weeks in, there’s been plenty of drama surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan almost daily.”

[From The Sun]

Yeah, just more of the same. I think there are certain arguments to be made about the Sussexes’ security as well, and Jobson comes close to saying the thing here – “Nobody asked him to come with his family to a country he deemed was unsafe.” That might even be the palace’s line, since Jobson tends to get his talking points from various royal camps. It’s something Harry will have to address at some point, in my opinion. But the stuff about “how dare they want access to our most precious limited resource, police protection” is asinine. Security is not a finite resource, and stop acting like there aren’t very real threats against this family.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.

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51 Responses to “Jobson: The Sussexes need an alarm clock, not police protection, for the school run”

  1. Tessa says:

    The Keens excel at those school runs and cut back on working to achieve the school runs.. Angela Levin’s negativity about the Sussex kids is disturbing, that they would be “teased.” Yet she does not say this about the Wales kids. Of course she doesn’t.

    • Kasztanka says:

      The Keens “manage” the school run in such a way that, back when the children were actually being driven there, it was done exclusively by security—never the parents—yet that never stopped Kate from blaming her own idleness on the excuse that “I can’t work because I’m busy driving the kids to school.” Even though the children have been at boarding school for several years now, Kate still “drives them there.”

    • Beth says:

      If all that’s needed is an alarm clock, would that also apply to Charles’ other three grandchildren, then? Bearing in mind that their risk and threat profiles may not be as high. If not, why not? What’s fools Jobson and Levin are. Increasingly unhinged.

      • Connecticutie says:

        It’s gaslighting off the highest order. Similar to the guest/man i heard on a British talk show saying they don’t need security, Harry and Megan can “just ride the tube”. He was serious and this was a hugely viewed morning talk show. These people are deluded.

      • Jferber says:

        We all know these derangers don’t want the Sussexes to be safe, which is why they say they are safe. Horrible people.

  2. Smart&Messy says:

    I agree about your point that Harry needs to address this at some point. He very publicly fought for security and to clear the mucky waters the royals created about his family’s security rights. All of that was understandable. Doing an aboutface is what needs to be explained here, and because he justifiably used public pressure to get what he is entitled to, he does owe an explanation to the same public.

    • Brassy Rebel says:

      “Nobody asked him to come with his family to a country he deemed was unsafe.” I hate giving credit to Jobson for anything, but he’s not wrong here. On the other hand, the business about the alarm clock is just stupid. No one has suggested that anyone overslept and that was the cause of the delay.

      • Amy Bee says:

        @BrassyRebel: Jobson told Harry that the UK was safe and he didn’t need security. How is Jobson now upset that he was proven wrong?

      • Brassy Rebel says:

        I don’t think Jobson is conceding that he was proven wrong. He still thinks it’s safe. Thus,we get the alarm clock explanation. ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

      • Jais says:

        So actually jobsen said a few months ago that he believed Harry deserved security. He has said that more than once. And now he has done an about face rather quickly. Just as he’s aligning camps with William. It’s absurdly transparent what’s happening here. So yeah, sorry I can’t get behind that or give him any kind of credit. Please. GMAFB. And @brassyrebel have you read any of the articles about William and Kate blaming Meghan for giving Kate cancer. There’s one today but haven’t seen your comments there? What are your thoughts on that?

      • Brassy Rebel says:

        @Jais: I hope you don’t think I agree with W&K about Meghan causing Kate’s cancer ( which I’m still not sure she ever had). Didn’t think it was necessary to weigh in on this. ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

      • Jais says:

        I wouldn’t know what to think since most of your comments are opinions about Harry and Meghan’s choices as opposed to the wider RF’s shenanigans, whether it be William, Charles or Kate’s. My attention is always going to be on the systematic abuse but to each their own as to what they choose to put energy into. Jobsen has always been a game player and he’s clearly playing games here. A broken clock can absolutely make a point every now and then but I just don’t think he deserves credit right now in this moment when it rlly seems Jobsen is making a move from one camp to another, and clearly William’s. Like oooh yeah let’s blame the Sussexes instead of the system that is choosing not to protect them. These reporters are not being genuine in their intentions and are hoping to sway our minds about the Sussexes and putting the blame on them. It’s up to us as to what we believe. And none of us know anything at the end of day. But I can promise you that the majority of my heat and comments will be focused on that. As much as people want to claim Harry is a part of the system, he is not taking money from it or being protected from it so what are we rlly doing here.

    • Ginger says:

      Agree. Harry has publicly talked about his security at length for years, he actually DOES owe the public some sort of explanation as to why he decided to move his family there with no change on security. And yes, Harry and his family are private citizens but HE made this issue very public and he had a lot of public support.

  3. sunniside up says:

    This is the first school run they have done in this country, how were they supposed to know what it would be like. When mine were at school most mums walked their little ones to school until they were old enough to walk by themselves.

    • FYI says:

      ??? Surely you’re not suggesting that they would walk their kids to school?

      How were they supposed to know what the school run was like? If you’re concerned about security, you do several trial runs of it. Just common sense.

      • Lucky Charm says:

        Except you can’t do a trial run without all the traffic to figure out. During the summer holidays you just don’t have the traffic going to the schools.

  4. JayBlue says:

    From what I understand, the problem wasn’t the length of time or the traffic, it was that the cars were separated, and there were instances of idling. The idling is obviously the biggest danger here, when someone could ID and approach the cars.

  5. Becks1 says:

    They dont know what a school run is and should just get up earlier? yeah there is famously no traffic in California. Or Toronto. Or London. Or Chicago. Or anywhere else they have lived.

    My guess is that it wasn’t just the traffic – there were probably photographers or journalists or the like stationed along the route that made it unsafe when they WERE stuck in traffic.

    • Eurydice says:

      It seems everybody knew what school they were going to. If the tabloids can send people across the world to check out pop up jam at a bookstore in Montecito, they won’t hesitate to stalk the kids when they’re conveniently in the UK.

      • Meredith says:

        If that was true, there would be photos. And there haven’t been any photos published from the 2 days of school runs as far as I know.

      • Eurydice says:

        @Meredith – stalking doesn’t mean they got photos.

      • Becks1 says:

        @Meredith the papers are worried about a lawsuit that they would almost certainly lose. i think they’re waiting for the “money shot” that will make a lawsuit worth it.

      • Meredith says:

        It’s not illegal to photograph children in a car on a street.

    • Hypocrisy says:

      Jobson is a miserable slob of a man… he wanted these children hung over a balcony in one interview so he is never going to be concerned with their safety because he is someone they need to be protected from…

      • Becks1 says:

        Oh lordy I forgot that was him!

        I kind of feel like we need a running list on the side of this site with who is who among the RRs.

        Jobson, Levin, Seward….one other (fitzwilliams?) – the ones who reported on the oprah interview before it happened.
        Eden – dog food, Maureen
        Kay – one of the first to get the story pushing back against the Rose rumors.
        Levin – generally awful, even the other RRs hate her.
        Emily Andrews – doesnt seem to like the Sussexes, but doesnt like the Wales either.
        English – crazy Wales supporter, head of the rota.

        and so on.

      • Jais says:

        Yes there’s a long list and context to all of these reporters😂. Knowing who they are and where they align and whether they seem to be changing alliances is always a fun endeavor. And telling for what different agenda are being pushed out by who.

      • windyriver says:

        Both the Arbiters, Seward, and Fitzwilliams were part of the pre-Oprah review donkey sanctuary video. I’ve lost track at this point of what the others have done.

      • Lorelei says:

        @Becks, don’t forget about Chris Ship! I’ll always have a tiny shred of appreciation to him for coining the absurd phrase, “festive glance.” It’s still so funny all these years later.

  6. Beth says:

    The idea that Jobson is some sort of expert on protective security is vey obviously risible. He has no idea what he’s talking about. As for Levin, she’s not an expert on anything these days, particularly Sussex-related, and comes over as increasingly unhinged. Yikes.

    • Jais says:

      It’s interesting bc in the past Jobsen has been one that has said he believes Harry should get security. He has said that in more than one video clip. So what’s changed now? Why has he changed his tune? Especially now that young kids are involved. Is it bc he’s now aligning himself more with KP than BP. Bc there’s an obvious shift.

      • Murali says:

        Jobbo was 💯 Charles and whilst he was nasty (dangling Archie off the balcony) he did sometimes call out Billy Idle. Now he’s 💯 Billy Idles man. Totally deranged. He’s turned into psycho Sykes

      • bisynaptic says:

        @Murali, he must think Charles’s end is nigh and his bread must now be buttered on the other side.

      • Murali says:

        @bisynaptic that’s the likely assumption. Maybe Charles now is doing better and jobbo has made his bed, especially since he’s been calling Charles weak.

      • Lorelei says:

        These grown-ass men behave as if they’re in middle school, joining and switching cliques, always looking for a leg up and a way into the popular kids’ (BRF) group.

        It would almost be amusing to watch if their BS tactics weren’t so destructive to the Sussexes.

  7. Crystal says:

    The implication being that Harry is pestering the High Court of the United Kingdom and RAVEC and his father the King and all of this because he doesn’t want to wake up an hour earlier. Lol

    • sunniside up says:

      The traffic would still be there, He would have learnt that after the first day.

      • Crystal says:

        Well he tried getting up earlier the second day and it just didn’t work okay?? LOL. I like how that’s what Jobson is trying to paint a picture of here. Of course it’s not about alarm clocks or anything of the sort.

      • Becks1 says:

        Also…..what, does he think teachers are just waiting around for kids hours before school starts?

        At our (admittedly US public school, so not posh) elementary school, the day starts at 915. Students can arrive at 845. If you get there before that, you are not allowed in the school unless you’re part of the before care program. This is roughly the same at even the posh private schools around us – there are certain times when the doors open for students. At my high school the doors were pretty much open from 630am to 8 pm, but that was bc we were in the city and they didnt want anyone waiting outside (and it was also done to encourage parents to drop students off or pick them up before/after work, to make the school seem more convenient.)

        But I digress. my point is – lets say H&M set that wondrous invention of an alarm clock, that I’m sure they have never even heard of before, and leave at 630 am to get their kids to a school that starts at 830. So now the kids are there maybe at 7 am. So what? they just hang out in the car for an hour?

        That seems reasonable.

  8. Yvette says:

    @Smart&Messy … Harry and Meghan don’t owe an explanation to the public about the decisions they make for their family. In my humble opinion, their current path in the UK is their business. I support their right to live as, and wherever, they choose.

  9. BaileyS says:

    Harry, Archie and Lili are UK citizens they should be able to live safely in the country just like every other citizen as should Meghan as Harry’s wife and A/L’s mother. For Jobson (or anyone else) to imply other is just ridiculous.

  10. Mumster says:

    “Getting up earlier” won’t help anyway, because how early are they supposed to be at the school for their kids to be safe? Wouldn’t they and the kids be sitting ducks at the school now (as opposed to traffic)? This is malignant gaslighting. The fact is that these kids’ grandmother and their father’s mother got chased in traffic and was killed as a result. These are not “regular” kids with “regular” parents. They are the reigning monarch’s grandchildren. The royal rats need to stop.

  11. Amy Bee says:

    I seem to remember likes of Jobson and Levin pleading to Harry to come back to the UK with his children and that they would be safer there. Now that he has done like the press asked there’s all this concern about the children. They can’t have it both ways. I suspect the real reason why the press is against the Sussexes getting security is it will confirm that the threats and the press harassment and hostility towards Harry and his family are real.

  12. QuiteContrary says:

    Royal author Robert Jobson told Sun Studio: “It’s really sad that the kids are becoming the narrative here.”

    Says Robert Jobson and Angela Levin, making the kids the narrative.

    These people are despicable and should keep the names of the Sussex kids out of their disgusting mouths.

  13. SpringFlower says:

    I read this online, and this goes much further than “getting up early” or “setting an alarm clock.

    “Former Metropolitan Police protection officer Scott Hamer told The Telegraph that fixed locations like schools present severe security challenges.

    “With the school run, you can vary the route as much as you like, but the start and end point will almost always be the same,” Hamer said. The daily school run presents the most threats to the family’s security (PA)

    The Sussexes have faced major threats to their security before, where security personnel in Montecito intercepted an armed intruder near the couple’s residence in May 2023.

    According to documents seen by the outlet, a 40-page report by Prince Harry’s private security firm identified an “elevated risk” to the family in the UK.

    In five of the six identified homegrown terror plots targeting the Duke in previous years, the plans had originated from the UK, creating what his team described as an “elevated risk” profile.”

    • Jamie42 says:

      Agreed. Same time, same place on the school run. It is important to be unpredictable, and they simply can’t be on the school run. The issue for Harry seems to be who pays for it–him, or the UK taxpayer.

      • Becks1 says:

        No, that’s actually not the issue. The issue is the LEVEL of security they can have, which is different if its government funded vs their own security. Harry offered to pay for the security he’s requesting and he was denied.

    • Where'sMyTiara says:

      Why does The Telegraph have a 40 page report on the minutiae of the Sussexes’ lives, detailing why they need security?

      Who brought them the report?

      Was it people on RAVEC?

      When Harry talked of establishment stitch ups, this is one of those glossed over items that cuts to the heart of it.

      Courtiers bringing sensitive documents to the media in a deliberate bid to make the Sussexes unsafe.

      They all work in concert so effortlessly, almost like this has been their m.o. since the late 1990s… they’re still using the same playbook.

  14. Nic919 says:

    Speaking of alarm clock who was late for the coronation even with a police convoy?

  15. Tracy Lord says:

    My hot take:

    Harry wanted to be on this side of the pond when Earl Spencer’s book dropped while RAVEC was also reviewing their security needs.

  16. Jobson is a grave robber

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