Royal Sh-o-ck: Meghan’s New Family Photo Sparks Fierce Backlash After Fans Spot the One Detail That Changes Everything
The Duchess of Sussex has opened up her private photo album with fans to showcase her family’s recent summer holiday, but one snap could potentially raise eyebrows among her in-laws and some royal watchers.
Meghan uploaded a carousel of images to her public Instagram account in the early hours of Friday (AEST), along with the caption ’Summer Holiday”. It included an image of her family seemingly taken during a visit to the ancestral home of Princess Diana.
Meghan has shared a photo of Prince Harry, Archie and Lilibet at what appears to be Althorp, Princess Diana’s ancestral home. Instagram/Meghan
Media outlets including People, which is known to have sources close to the Sussexes, report one of the images appeared to have been taken at the Spencer family estate, Althorp.
The photo shows Prince Harry, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet walking through a tree-lined grassed area.
Both Harry and Archie, who are furthest from the camera, are carrying large bouquets of flowers. The duke’s blooms are white while Archie’s appear to have a mix of white and lavender flowers.
The area appears to be similar to aerial photos of Althorp estate.
It was widely reported that the Sussexes were planning to stop off at Althorp during their recent visit to the UK, with some media reports even suggesting a Spencer family reunion was in the works.
It was also reported the Sussex family might have stayed on the estate, which is located in the Northamptonshire region of England.
Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, is buried on an island there, which can only be accessed via a rowboat.
It is not open to the public, but visitors to Althorp can pay their respects to the late Princess at a dedicated temple and memorial site on the estate grounds, which are open to the public during summer.
The tree-lined Althorp estate appears to match a photo shared by Meghan. Getty
The photo shows Prince Harry and Prince Archie carrying bouquets of flowers. Instagram/@Meghan
It was reported that Harry planned to take his wife and children to visit his mother’s final resting place, and rumours the visit took place gathered pace when Althorp was suddenly closed to the public for two days, on July 10 and 11, which coincided with the Sussexes time in the UK.
However, many royal commentators thought it was unlikely Meghan would share photos of the visit, given the sensitive and private nature of the visit.
The decision to release the photo could upset some members of the family, especially Prince William, who has never publicly shared any photos of visits he and his family might have made to his mother’s grave.
Visitors to Althorp can visit a special temple dedicated to Diana on the estate. Sion Touhig/Getty Images
Prince Harry previously disclosed taking Meghan to visit his mother’s graveside in his memoir Spare.
Elsewhere in the carousel of photos shared by Meghan overnight were photos taken during their European jaunt.
It was widely reported the Sussex family spent time in Portugal before Prince Harry flew solo to the UK for a series of public engagements.
Other images show Prince Archie in the cockpit of a plane, the family at the beach, swimming in the pool of their Montecito home, and dining in a restaurant.
A rare photo of Prince Archie from Meghan’s summer holidays album. Instagram/@meghan
Meghan, Harry, Archie and Lilibet enjoy a trip to the beach. Instagram/@Meghan
Harry announced in June he planned to bring his family to the UK, but that plan was put on hold after his request for taxpayer-funded security was knocked back.
Instead, Harry travelled to the UK alone for a series of public engagements, before Meghan and their children joined him for a private visit, which included an hour-long meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The visit, which took place at the King’s private home, Highgrove, was only made public after the Sussexes left the estate.
