Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Photographer Slams Photoshop Claims
DUSSELDORF, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 15: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the sitting volleyball final during day six of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on September 15, 2023 in Dusseldorf, Germany. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
The photographer who took the photo announcing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s pregnancy in 2021 is rejecting the suggestion that he made extensive edits to the photo before it was shared with the world.
The allegations surfaced this week amid the ongoing controversy surrounding a photo that Kensington Palace shared of Kate Middleton and her three children with Prince William as the U.K. celebrated Mother’s Day on March 10.
Misan Harriman, who photographed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex virtually in 2021 amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, was asked how he took the photo during a podcast appearance in 2022. A clip from that interview has surfaced in the wake of the photoshop scandal involving the Princess of Wales, leading to Harriman’s response on March 13.
In a video Harriman shared on social media, the photographer criticized a recent “dangerous” article that focused on the resurfaced podcast interview.
Related: Prince William Steps Out Amid Kate Middleton's Photoshop Controversy
“Unfortunately, there’s been an article on The Daily Mail saying that I have admitted to doctoring the pregnancy announcement portrait I took of Harry and Meghan,” Harriman explained. “Apparently I was switching out trees and meadows, and I admitted to this in an episode of a podcast called Private Passions. This is crazy.”
Harriman, who said “the only thing that was changed was the black and white color grade,” explained that he was asked “a few leading questions” about the photo during the interview, which he attempted to dodge.
“I get that a lot in regards to Harry and Meghan,” he said, "and I tend to swerve, ignore, try and get back on track and say what I’m there to say, rather than any sort of intrigue and gossip.”
He then played the clip in question, which begins with the interviewer asking, “They weren’t actually under a willow tree, they were lying outside in the meadow, weren’t they, Harry and Meghan, when you took the photograph?”
Related: Video of Kate Middleton Discussing the Power of Proper Photography Resurfaces Amid Editing Scandal
Harriman then responded, “They were lost in their love, in their garden, comfortable. Celebrating new joy, new life.”
In his video, Harrison appeared stunned that his comments were interpreted as confirmation that he had heavily edited the photo.
“How that exchange could amount to me admitting to doctoring an image is insidious, and really dangerous journalism,” he said. "Any mention of meadows and willow trees came out of the person doing the interview, not my mouth. I did my best to ignore it, and focus on what I wanted to talk about.”
The photographer, who has since shared the original photo he took of Harry and Meghan before converting it to a black-and-white image, also criticized the way in which the resurfaced clip has been attached to the Mother’s Day photo of the Princess of Wales.
The original Jpeg without the black and White grade, I expect a full apology and retraction from @MailOnline @Telegraph @victoria_ward
No trees or meadows were moved or swapped, this is the image straight out of camera.
Also that is a Jacaranda Tree, not a willow tree. pic.twitter.com/A9wmrlq5Ow— Misan Harriman (@misanharriman) March 13, 2024
“To try and merge it with this current news cycle of what’s happening is just, is tragic to see,” he said.
The photo scandal now known as #KateGate has raised concerns among many royal watchers due to the lengthy amount of time that Kate has now been out of the public eye. The princess underwent abdominal surgery in January and isn’t expected to return to her public royal duties until after Easter.
While it in initially appeared that Kensington Palace had shared a new photo of Kate with her three children, eagle-eyed fans of the royal family quickly noticed that the image appeared to have been altered. Hours after Kensington Palace posted the photo, several news agencies removed it from circulation. The palace later released a March 11 statement attributed to Kate in which she said she does “occasionally experiment with editing” and apologized “for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused.”
