Snap! Baby reveals and the royal photographers behind the iconic images
From Meghan and Harry's pregnancy announcement to Eugenie and Jack's baby pic, we look at royal portraits through the years.
Most royal photographers are used to keeping mum, but Misan Harriman had to take it literally when he snapped the picture of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Cambridge announcing their baby news this week. Kerry discovered more about Harry and Meghan’s favourite photographer for The Sunday Telegraph.
“Meg, I was there at your wedding to witness this love story begin, and my friend, I am honoured to capture it grow. Congratulations to The Duke and Duchess of Sussex on this joyous news!” he posted on Twitter.
Harriman is a friend of the couple and played a part in introducing them. “Meg reminded me that had I not introduced her to a mutual friend then she wouldn't have met Harry. I’m grateful for whatever small part I played,” he told Vogue.
“With the tree of life behind them and the garden representing fertility, life and moving forward, they didn’t need any direction, because they are, and always have been, waltzing through life together as absolute soulmates.”
He is the latest photographer to gain access to some of the Royal Family’s most intimate moments – and although he has long been a friend, he’s fairly new to photography, enjoying a meteoric rise since he turned his passion into a career three years ago. The Nigerian-born businessman recently became the first black male photographer to shoot a British Vogue cover and has photographed celebrities including Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett and Rihanna. He also took the engagement portraits of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
His recent career pivot also explains why he didn’t take Harry and Meghan’s engagement or wedding photos, which were done by Alexi Lubomirski.
We take a look at four other photographers with the Royal Seal of Approval:
Cecil Beaton: Vogue photographer Cecil Beaton was central to the young Elizabeth’s reign - creating a different, modern image of the Queen. Beaton was one of the best-known photographers of his day and a royal favourite for years, taking Princess Margaret’s beautiful 21st birthday portrait and the famous photos of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’s wedding in 1937. He died in 1980.
Mario Testino: When fashion photographer Mario Testino shot Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 for Vanity Fair, little did he know just a few months later, she would lose her life. His stunning images had a lasting legacy, however, and he began a long relationship with the Royal Family. He took 21st birthday portraits of Prince William and Prince Harry and the engagement photo of William and Kate in 2010.
Lord Lichfield: Another royal favourite was someone closer to the Royal Family, Patrick Anson, Lord Lichfield, whose mother was niece to the Queen Mother. He scored the job of taking the wedding photographs of Charles and Diana in 1981 and after that, became one of the best-known photographers of his day.
Lord Snowdon: Another royal photographer came along in the form of Antony Armstrong-Jones, the dashing, bohemian artist who captured a young Princess Margaret on film and in life, marrying her in 1960 and divorcing in 1978. Despite the split, he continued to work with the Royal Family, taking Charles and Diana’s engagement photos and the Queen’s 80th birthday photos in 2006.
Eugenie’s low-key, loved-up family snap
Meanwhile, Princess Eugenie shared the first snap and name of her new baby on Instagram on Saturday, taking a more low-key approach.
Eugenie and Jack posted a lovely photo taken by their midwife, introducing their son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank.
“Thank you for so many wonderful messages. Our hearts are full of love for this little human, words can’t express,” she wrote. “We are excited to be able to share these photos with you by our wonderful midwife. Thank you to the wonderful essential workers including our midwife who came to discharge our boy.”
August and his parents certainly look sunny in the adorable image and his middle name Philip is a touching tribute to Eugenie’s grandfather, currently in hospital.
Crystal reader please! How to have a baby in La La Land
We’ve only just recovered from the outraged headlines around Meghan choosing to deliver Archie in London’s Portland Hospital (where maternity packages start from £15k) so brace yourselves for the Californian coverage.
Any Hollywood mum-to-be worth their doula apparently has on call the following: reflexologist, pre-natal dermatologist, nutritionist and a crystal reader (to predict baby’s future and personality). And that’s before they’ve even booked the luxury five-star hospital.
So where will Meghan give birth? One of LA’s most prominent childbirth facilities is at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where a top suite is £2,800 a night (with a lovely view of the Hollywood sign). The hospital also offers the all-important privacy tick box and top protection from pesky paps with its underground car parks and tunnels.
But Baby Sussex will not be the first royal born in the USA. In August 2013, Harry's cousin, Lord Frederick Windsor, and Sophie Winkleman had Maud Windsor at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in LA, which comes complete with tuxedo-wearing waiters known as ‘food ambassadors’.
Shocking royal TV bombshells
When the words ‘wide-ranging’ and ‘intimate’ are used by CBS network to describe Oprah Winfrey’s scoop with Meghan and Harry – it’s no surprise to hear the Palace are ‘nervous’, with suggestions the Queen was not informed about the March 7 screening. To be fair, the royals’ tell-all track record isn’t a good one:
Prince Andrew: Oh gawd, do we have to go there? In November 2019, he believed his interview with BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis had gone “pretty well”.
Princess Diana: Her infamous Panorama fireside chat with Martin Bashir is the benchmark of explosive tell-alls and controversy continues around how the scoop was obtained. Nine months later she was an ex-HRH and divorced from Charles.
Prince Charles: In 1994, a year before Diana’s chat, he confessed adultery with Camilla in a documentary called Charles: The Private Man, Public Role. Jaws dropped.
Sarah Ferguson: The Duchess has spoken to Oprah a number of times since 1996. After splitting from Prince Andrew, Sarah gave her this gem about marrying into the royal family: “It’s not a fairytale”. We think Meghan got that memo.
Finally, random royal fact of the week
It’s 40 years since Charles and Diana’s engagement on Feb 24, when Diana showed off her stunning diamond and sapphire ring - now worn by Catherine - and Charles stunned with his “whatever in love means” comment. The ring, at least, lasted.
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