Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Were ‘Edited Out’ of Queen Elizabeth II’s 2019 Christmas Broadcast

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had no part in Queen Elizabeth II’s 2019 Christmas broadcast — and that was intentional.

When the late sovereign delivered her annual pre-recorded holiday-season video message in 2019, photographs on or behind her desk featured Charles and Camilla, Prince Philip, Prince William and Princess Kate, and Elizabeth’s father, George VI. However, the Sussexes were missing from the photos, despite being in one of the snaps on Elizabeth’s desk in her 2018 address.

In an article published by the Daily Mail on Tuesday, December 23, the outlet suggested that Elizabeth opted not to include a photo of Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, or their son, Prince Archie, 6, because of their imminent departure from The Firm.

Royal author Tina Brown discussed Elizabeth’s decision in her 2022 book Palace Papers.

“The subtext was all in the flotilla of carefully arranged family photographs positioned on her writing desk,” she wrote per The Daily Mail. “The Sussexes had evaporated, their image excised as skilfully as Stalin would have done to an apparatchik out of favour.”

Brown further quoted royal author Christopher Andersen in her book, writing, “Her Majesty pointed at a winsome portrait of Harry, Meghan, and baby Archie. ‘That one’, said the Queen. ‘I suppose we don’t need that one.’ ”

Additionally, Brown noted, William “was said to have been appalled when he saw the Sussexes had been edited out.”

“He knew his brother well enough to predict a Category 5 tantrum brewing,” she added.

In October 2019, Harry and Meghan announced they would take some time off from their royal duties for family time. The husband-and-wife duo then opted to spend Christmas in Canada, skipping the royal family’s celebration at Sandringham in Norfolk, England.

The Spare author and the With Love, Meghan star then announced in January 2020 that they were stepping back from their royal duties.