The gallery has been criticised for not having any portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in its collection.
In yet another snub for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the National Portrait Gallery in London has decided not to display a portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, despite acquiring the image earlier this year.
The black-and-white photograph, taken by their close friend and acclaimed photographer Misan Harriman, captures the couple at the opening of the One Young World summit in Manchester two years ago.
While the portrait has been added to the gallery’s prestigious collection and can be viewed online, the gallery’s spokesperson confirmed it won’t be making its way to the gallery walls anytime soon. “There are no current plans to display the portrait in the gallery,” the spokesperson admitted, a decision that has left fans of the royal couple disappointed.
This decision to keep the portrait off public display has raised eyebrows, particularly given the National Portrait Gallery’s reputation as one of the world’s foremost collections of iconic images.
Kate Middleton is a benefactor of the gallery
The timing of this decision has added fuel to speculation about ongoing tensions between Harry, Meghan, and the rest of the Royal Family. Nevertheless, Princess Kate, who has been a patron of the gallery since 2012, has no control over what images are featured in the collection.
This isn’t the first time Harry and Meghan have been seemingly sidelined. Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Royal Collection, which houses over a million objects spanning centuries of British monarchy, does not include any photographs of Meghan in its archives.
Meanwhile, Misan Harriman, the celebrated photographer behind the image, has continued to make history in his own right, being the first Black man to shoot a British Vogue cover. However, even his acclaimed work couldn’t secure Harry and Meghan a spot in the gallery’s main exhibit.
The Princess of Wales also suffered a snub
This latest snub follows a long history of controversy surrounding royal portraits. Princess Kate herself has experienced a backlash over a portrait painted by Paul Emsley, which was called “ghastly” and “rotten” by critics. The controversial painting was quietly moved into storage, available only by special appointment, despite Kate’s initial praise of it as “brilliant” and “amazing.”
With both Harry and Meghan, and even Princess Kate’s artwork being sidelined, the gallery’s decisions continue to raise questions about what truly defines a royal portrait worthy of public display.
