Bizarre Reason Why Harry and Meghan Did Not Get a Photo Of Queen And Lilibet Together

The late Queen Elizabeth deeply adored her eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. So, it comes as a surprise that she reportedly refused to take a photo with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter, Princess Lilibet. Allegedly, her decision came from her fear that the couple would leak the photograph to US television networks.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed their daughter Lilibet on 4 June 2021. After her birth, the couple made a quick trip to England, where they threw their daughter a cute 1st birthday party at Frogmore Cottage. As reported by Cosmopolitan, Markle and Harry desperately wanted to bring their private photographer to capture the Queen’s meeting with Lilibet. According to an anonymous source, they were told, “No chance. It was a private family event,” The Sun reported. The insider claimed the Queen’s minders were worried that the couple would leak the photos, especially to Netflix.

The Telegraph reported that the Queen did reject being photographed with Lilibet but had a valid reason to do so. The outlet claimed that Her Majesty had a significantly bloodshot eye on the day and 'personally intervened' to prevent an official photograph from being taken. Royal commentator Camilla Tominey also told the outlet, “The Duke is thought to have expressed a desire to get an official photograph of the two Lilibets together at some point in the future.”

Reflecting on the unfortunate missed chance, royal biographer Christopher Andersen claimed that it was a 'bitter pill' for Harry and Markle to swallow. As reported by Sky News, Anderson said, “We now know that the Queen, well, the men in grey who really handle things, would not permit the Queen's photograph to be taken with Lilibet…You have to remember, Archie was photographed with the Queen, and Prince Philip, and Doria Ragland when he was two days old.” Despite multiple reports stating that the Queen refused to take a photo with Lilibet, a source told The New York Post that no such incident occurred. “They just enjoyed a private and intimate visit with the Queen,” they said, adding that Harry and Markle had never asked for photos with the 96-year-old monarch.

Interestingly, the Queen was reportedly also unhappy when the Sussexes chose to name their daughter after her. Royal biographer Robert Hardman asserted in his book, Charles III: New King, New Court, The Inside Story, how she was ‘furious’ when they stole the cherished nickname that had been uniquely hers. Hardman wrote, “Elizabeth II had been 'as angry as I'd ever seen her' in 2021 after the Sussexes announced that she had given them her blessing to call their baby daughter 'Lilibet,' the Queen's childhood nickname.” The Queen was affectionately called ‘Lilibet’ by her husband, Prince Philip, and her grandfather, King George V.