Predictably, People Are Reading A Harry And Meghan Snub Into The Queen’s Christmas Photo Selection

The photograph selection on the Queen's desk doesn't include a shot of the Sussex family.

Obviously People Are Reading A Harry And Meghan Snub Into The Queen's Choice Of Christmas Photographs

by Rebecca Reid |
Updated on

Images have been released from tomorrow's Christmas Day speech, which will - as ever - be broadcast on BBC One at 3PM. As is also traditional on the internet, the advance images of the speech have stirred up controversy, specifically about the choice of photographs displayed on the desk from which the Queen gives her speech. This year, the pictures do not include a portrait of Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex.

Every year the choice of photographs changes. This year it features a picture of her own father, who died in 1953, the Cambridge family (the same image that was on their Christmas card), Camilla and Charles, and her husband Prince Philip.

Perhaps predictably, there are people on the internet who believe this to be a snub towards Harry and Meghan, because they are not featured, but were last year.

Which does slightly ignore the fact that last year the pair had got married, in a ceremony watched by 18 million people in the UK. And that, even if the Queen had wanted to include Harry and Meghan's Christmas card this year, the speech was filmed several weeks ago, and the Sussex family card was only released last night.

Also, it's not as if every single member of the family is pictured, excluding the Sussex family. Also not pictured from the direct family are: her late sister Princess Margaret, Prince Edward, Princess Anne or any of her children, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, or Prince Andrew (though that last one might be a little bit more on the meaningful side).

The photo policy seems to change year to year. For instance, in 2016 there were only two photographs on display: one of Prince Phillip and the other of Charles and Camilla. It seems that the logic behind photo choices probably changes from year to year, and this year it's the heirs to the throne (Charles and William), as well as her husband and father.

READ MORE: The Cambridge Christmas card includes a motorbike - edgy

READ MORE: Harry and Meghan's relationship in pictures.

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