Last week, King Charles had his weekly meeting with Prime Minister Liz Truss. Truss is currently taking the UK down in a blaze of glory – I’ve never seen a world leader create so much havoc in their first month on the job, it’s astonishing. While that is definitely a story – as is the fact that Charles greeted Truss with “dear, oh dear” – too many people focused on the fact that Charles had a somewhat notable photo in the background:
Last week, King Charles took his first weekly audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss at the palace. In a short video of their greeting, released on Twitter, viewers can see several photos of the family displayed around the meeting room. Among them is a photo from Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan’s wedding.
The image was taken by photographer Alexi Lubomirski at Windsor Castle following the Sussexes’ wedding ceremony at St. George’s Chapel on May 19, 2018. It shows Harry and Meghan surrounded by members of their family and bridal party—including the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The now King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate are also in the photo, as are Kate and William’s children, boys and girls from Harry and Meghan’s bridal party, and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.
You might say, okay, big whoop. Yes, these people all “speak” in these completely bizarre codes instead of communicating with one another directly and openly, but is it really that weird to think that Charles would display a photo of the Sussexes? Then something weird happened – Queen Camilla did a photo shoot with Chris Jackson and she also made sure to display a photo of the Sussexes in her background.
Queen Consort Camilla made a sweet nod to the royal family in an official picture shared at the weekend. King Charles’ wife, 75, was photographed in the Morning Room at Clarence House, on the 64th anniversary of the publication of the first Paddington bear book with several of the Paddington Bear toys left by royal fans in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth following the announcement of the Monarch’s death on September 8.
It was revealed yesterday that the soft toys will be given ‘good homes,’ just like the ‘real’ Paddington Bear, and are to be donated to vulnerable children supported by the Barnardo’s charity.
After the release of the picture, eagle-eyed fans noted that the Queen Consort had surrounded herself with pictures of the late Queen and the royal family. One snap showed the Queen Consort, the King, with the Prince and Princess of Wales, their three children and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the occasion of Prince Louis’ christening in 2019.
Two major photo-ops featuring photos of Harry and Meghan, both done within a week? Charles and Camilla are both sending a coded message to and about the Sussexes, and to the press. This is honestly Charles wanting to have it both ways though – he wants the freedom to brief against the Sussexes and threaten them about their projects and play the victim, while also making a big show of “see, they’re still family, we still love them.” That being said, I still believe that this year, Harry and Charles have been in communication more consistently than most people know. The one tabloid story I believed completely was that Charles asked Harry directly not to speak about him either way. Harry has kept up his end so far, all while his father has briefed against him all year. I think it’s also worth noting that some of the “Charles and Harry have drama with each other” storyline is being pushed by William.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- King Charles III meets Prime Minister Liz Truss during their weekly audience at Buckingham Palace in London. Picture date: Wednesday October 12, 2022.,Image: 730196656, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon [email protected] London 44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles 1 310 822 0419 Berlin 49 30 76 212 251 Madrid 34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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- LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 13: (Copyright rests with Getty Images and publications are asked to credit Chris Jackson/Getty Images. All terms of release must be adhered to. The photograph has been distributed with permission from Royal Communications. The photograph is being made available by way of licence on condition that the photograph shall be solely for news editorial use only, there shall be no commercial use whatsoever of the photograph – including any use in merchandising, advertising or any other non-editorial use, the image must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form. THE PHOTOGRAPH SHALL NOT BE USED AFTER SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30th 2022.).In this handout image issued by Buckingham Palace, Camilla, Queen Consort, poses with a collection of Paddington cuddly toys in the Morning Room at Clarence House, on the 64th anniversary of the publication of the first Paddington bear book, on October 13, 2022 in London, England. Over 1,000 Paddington and teddy bears, left at at Royal Residences as tributes to Queen Elizabath, will be donated to Barnado’s charity.,Image: 731039858, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: THE PHOTOGRAPH SHALL NOT BE USED AFTER SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30th 2022., Model Release: no, Credit line: Handout / Avalon
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- NEWS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE. NO MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS, MEMORABILIA or COLOURABLY SIMILAR. NOT FOR USE AFTER 31 DECEMBER 2018 WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION FROM KENSINGTON PALACE. NO CROPPING. Publications are asked to credit the photograph to Alexi Lubomirski. The photograph must not be digitally enhanced, manipulated or modified in any manner or form and must include all of the individuals in the photograph when published. This official wedding photograph released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shows The Duke and Duchess in The Green Drawing Room, Windsor Castle, with (left-to-right): Back row: Master Jasper Dyer, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales, Ms. Doria Ragland, The Duke of Cambridge; middle row: Master Brian Mulroney, the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Miss Rylan Litt, Master John Mulroney; Front row: Miss Ivy Mulroney, Miss Florence van Cutsem, Miss Zalie Warren, Miss Remi Litt.
