Royals

Did the Queen just shade Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan by removing a picture of them?

Could this be Her Majesty's response to that documentary?
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Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s candid confessions in their explosive Africa documentary have received mixed reviews, with reports claiming that it’s led to more tension within the royal family.

But does this subtle removal of a picture in Buckingham Palace mean there really is a rift?

While receiving the High Commissioner for Grenada Lakisha Grant at Buckingham Palace, eagle-eyed royal fans noticed that the Queen had done some rearranging of the photos on the side table.

The two photos that are on display are a photo from Prince William and the then-Kate Middleton’s engagement photo shoot, plus one of Prince William and Prince Harry.

But a photo of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex taken from their own engagement shoot, was noticeably absent.

Prince William and Duchess Catherine’s photo is clearly visible, but Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s has gone.

(Image: Getty Images)

The last time the photo was seen was back in July, when the Queen received Boris Johnson, who had just been appointed as the UK’s new prime minister and was first spotted shortly after the couple’s wedding in May 2018 during an audience with the Honourable George Brandis, the Australian High Commissioner.

READ MORE: The cringeworthy comment Britain’s new prime minister made to the Queen

And while the photo may have been taken away for dusting or placed on another table, the removal of Harry and Meghan’s photo certainly doesn’t help the rumours of a rift in the fold.

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s portrait was last seen in July.

(Image: Getty Images)

The first time the photo was spotted was shortly after Harry and Meghan’s wedding.

(Image: Getty Images)

While Meghan revealed that she’d “really tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip,” Prince Harry shocked with his own comments in the Harry and Meghan: An African Adventure documentary when he confirmed the rumours that he and his brother’s relationship has been rocky as of late.

“Part of this role and part of this job and part of this family being under the pressure that it’s under, inevitably, stuff happens,” he told ITV’s Tom Bradby.

“But look, we’re brothers, we’ll always be brothers — and we’re certainly on different paths at the moment,” he added.”

Watch the moment in the player below. Post continues after video…

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While many have praised the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their candour, royal experts say that while they think younger generations will sympathise, older monarchists are struggling to get their heads around this modern approach.

Indeed, many have been reminded of Princess Diana‘s Panorama tell-all with Martin Bashir and are feeling a sense of royal deja vu.

Royal biographer Penny Junor said of the documentary: “My instinct is it is best not to tell the entire world about your emotional state. I suppose in a way, it is a generational thing, and everyone will have a different view on it.”

Harry and Meghan’s documentary has received mixed reactions.

(Image: Getty Images)

Meanwhile, an insider told E! News: “There seems to be a lot of bemusement within the royal family about what exactly Harry and Meghan are trying to achieve, as members of the royal family do not usually speak in such detail about personal matters.”

“It’s fair to say that there is a deep sense of unease in the royal households about the direction this is all headed.”

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