The Sussexes could never be accused of being out of style. Just a few days after the official portrait of the British Royal Family they left behind became public, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled brand-new images of themselves.
The pair is shown in Manchester, last month, attending the One Young World meeting for young leaders.
In the first picture, Meghan is wearing a red top with matching red pants and a large gold ring and pair of earrings.
The duchess holds one of Harry’s fingers while standing face-on and gazing at the camera. In a dapper black suit and tie, the duke stands at an angle behind her and smiles.
The posture is similar to how Harry and Meghan stood in the middle of the frame during their Time magazine picture session in 2021, with Harry’s hand resting on her shoulder.
The pair can be seen holding hands, facing the camera side-on, and standing close to one another in the second photo, which was shot “only seconds” before the summit’s opening ceremony.
Misan Harriman, director of the Southbank Centre and a close friend of the Sussexes, is a well-known celebrity photographer who has captured the likes of Rihanna, Stormzy, Tom Cruise, and Giorgio Armani in photographs.
Days after the official portrait of the so-called “New Fab Four”—King Charles, the Queen Consort, the Prince and Princess of Wales—was unveiled, he put them online yesterday night. The names William, Harry, Kate, and Meghan have sometimes been referred to as the “Fab Four.”
The image emphasized that Charles, William, and their spouses would constitute the new nucleus of the Royal Family going forward after the Sussexes’ departure from the United Kingdom and the Queen’s passing last month.
The King and Queen Consort’s excellent first public appearance following the conclusion of the Royal mourning period was overshadowed by photos of Harry and Meghan.
Large crowds greeted Charles and Camilla as they carried out one of the late Queen’s last requests and granted city status to Dunfermline in Scotland.
There is no evidence that the Sussexes planned the timing of the publishing of their photos to overshadow the King’s visit. But is indicative of the fact that they have not coordinated their actions with those of other Royal Family members since moving to the US, leading to a number of conflicts.
To “be inspired, exchange learnings, and connect” and to “raise the bar for what is possible to accomplish as leaders, individually and collectively,” One Young World organizes an annual summit for young leaders. At the event’s opening ceremony in Manchester, Meghan spoke.
It was “wonderful to be back in the UK,” she remarked, addressing the 2,000 attendees who came from 190 different nations. She called them “the future, but also the present, pushing the good and essential change required around the world.”
The release of Harry and Meghan’s new photographs coincided with the world’s curiosity and love for the first official image of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla.
The newly named Princess of Wales, his wife, and the Prince of Wales, his oldest son and heir, who is noticeably taller than Charles, are standing by their side.
The image, which features the new sovereign with his son and heir and King George III, the longest-reigning male king in British history, towering in the background, is obviously rife with meaning.
The fact that the photo was shot on the day of the Queen’s burial, just before our four most senior royals were set to hold a large banquet at Buckingham Palace for visiting Heads of State—including US Vice President Joe Biden—may be even more surprising.
If there was a lesson to be taken away from this, it was that monarchies must continue to carry out their duties while suffering considerable personal loss.
The public mourning for the Queen, who for them was a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in addition to the monarch, served as a reminder that the royals are constantly on duty, even when they had to muster every ounce of restraint.
The image is also a not-so-subtle hint to the King’s desires for a leaner monarchy, which he thinks would be more robust and relevant.
The absence of Harry, the younger son of the King, is the proverbial “elephant in the room.”
The Sussexes would have expected to be a member of this family group three years ago.
In reality, a portrait commemorating the then-Prince of Wales’ 70th birthday was released only four years ago.
But the harmony and joy that emanated from that picture evaporated after a few months.
The fact that the image was shot when the couple was still in Britain and a few days before they returned to their children Archie and Lilibet, according to analysts, cannot be a coincidence.
Therefore, there must be just another indication that they will never again play the dominant role in royal life.
The glam public relations agency that has been representing the former actress since her time on the legal drama Suits has been dropped by Harry and Meghan.
Sunshine Sachs, a New York-based public relations agency, has been abandoned by the couple, sources told Richard Eden on Friday.
The source said that “this is an extremely huge thing for Meghan.” She believes that she and Harry no longer need the expensive PR services of an outside company.
Keleigh Thomas Morgan, a partner of Sunshine Sachs, contributed significantly to the Sussexes’ establishment in California by lending her connections and her extensive network of influential advisors and well-known acquaintances.
When Meghan and Harry were still active members of the Royal Family in 2019, Keleigh, 45, a longtime friend of Meghan’s, assisted in planning the couple’s African trip.
She attended the royal wedding as well and has worked with American actor Tyler Perry, whose Los Angeles home Harry and Meghan used as a base while looking for a home.
However, Christine Schirmer, the director of communications at the couple’s charity foundation, Archewell, will now manage press for the couple’s multiple enterprises on a “in-house” basis.
According to reports, Toya Holness, who was chosen to serve as the “global press secretary” in March 2021, split from the Sussexes earlier this year.
Without a doubt, Schirmer has to be kept active. The pair has a number of significant projects in the works, including Harry’s highly contentious memoirs and a reality television series for American streaming company Netflix. Meghan’s series of podcasts for audio giant Spotify also resumes airing next week.
The Mail on Sunday reported last week that Harry had made a last-minute attempt to change his book out of concern that it would be seen as inappropriate in the wake of the Queen’s passing, which resulted in a public outpouring of sympathy for the Royal Family.