Amid the recent controversy surrounding Kate Middleton’s edited Mother’s Day photograph, another royal portrait has come under scrutiny for alleged alterations. The Valentines’ Day photo of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which was shared in 2021 to announce their second pregnancy, has been criticized by the UK media for the addition of a willow tree in the background.
However, the photographer who captured the portrait has strongly refuted these claims and demanded an apology. Artist Misan Harriman, in a post on Instagram, shared the original colored version of the photo and stated, ‘The original JPEG without the black and white grade, I expect a full apology and retraction from @dailymail @telegraph. 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.’
The black-and-white photograph depicted the Sussexes under a tree, with a pregnant Meghan resting her head in Harry’s lap, and the couple wearing joyful smiles.”The Daily Mail says I have admitted to doctoring the pregnancy announcement portrait of Harry and Meghan. 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 expressed.
The photographer explained that during a podcast interview, he was asked about capturing the portrait virtually during the lockdown and was asked a few leading questions.
Harriman tried to evade those questions and when asked if the couple were under a willow tree, he responded that they were lying outside in a meadow.”How that exchange could amount to me admitting to doctoring an image is insidious,” he said, adding that the claim was “dangerous and unacceptable”.Harriman clarified that the only alteration made to the photo was the change from black and white to color.
However, the photographer who captured the portrait has strongly refuted these claims and demanded an apology. Artist Misan Harriman, in a post on Instagram, shared the original colored version of the photo and stated, ‘The original JPEG without the black and white grade, I expect a full apology and retraction from @dailymail @telegraph. 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.’
The black-and-white photograph depicted the Sussexes under a tree, with a pregnant Meghan resting her head in Harry’s lap, and the couple wearing joyful smiles.”The Daily Mail says I have admitted to doctoring the pregnancy announcement portrait of Harry and Meghan. 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 expressed.
The photographer explained that during a podcast interview, he was asked about capturing the portrait virtually during the lockdown and was asked a few leading questions.
Harriman tried to evade those questions and when asked if the couple were under a willow tree, he responded that they were lying outside in a meadow.”How that exchange could amount to me admitting to doctoring an image is insidious,” he said, adding that the claim was “dangerous and unacceptable”.Harriman clarified that the only alteration made to the photo was the change from black and white to color.