Pharoh's privacy at the Nile

Question

How did Pharaoh prevent people from seeing him use the Bathroom at the Nile?

We know he went early morning, but what prevented others from seeing him?

A source for this information would be Highly appreciated.

Answer 1

I heard a shi'ur that cited the Pa'ne'ach Raza giving three answers to this question:

1. He actually wanted people to see him there because they would see him acting toward the river in a degrading way and treat him rather than it as a deity.
2. Par'o enacted a law that no person should go outside before a defined hour in order to conceal his morning activities.
3. He was actually out by the river for birding purposes - as is customary for kings - and therefore was sequestered in a kingly birding spot where most people didn't go.

Answer 2

According to the midrash to which you allude (Sh'mos Raba 9:8), Par'o was intentionally hiding from people in order to lead them to the false conclusion that he was a deity. If so, I would assume he looked around to make sure there was nobody there before proceeding. He was looking for them but they were not looking for him. Moshe, on the other hand, had the advantage of having been told by Hashem that he could find Par'o at that place and time and therefore could more easily have snuck up on him.

Da'as Mikra actually goes a different route to explain why Par'o was out there in the morning, namely that he was just on a leisurely royal riverside stroll (in keeping with the Ibn Ezra and others), but emphasizes the ominous sneaking up nonetheless. It says that when Hashem instructed Moshe using the word "הנה יצא המימה" He was pointing to the spot by the river where Moshe should stand, implying that Moshe actually got there earlier in the morning than Par'o in order to stand threateningly with staff outstretched.