Photographers have revealed the sharp differences between portraits released by the ‘very controlled’ Duke and Duchess of Sussex and ‘honest’ Princess Eugenie this week.
Portrait photographer Glenn Gratton told FEMAIL Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle’s, 39, photograph, which was taken by Vogue photographer Misan Harriman in the grounds of their $14 million Californian mansion was ‘very controlled and contrived – very Hollywood’.
Meanwhile Princess Eugenie, 31, followed in their footsteps this weekend by sharing a snap taken in her garden along with husband Jack and their son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank over the weekend.
Glenn explained Princess Eugenie and Jack looked ‘very honest’ in the snap, adding: ‘It just goes to show how straightforward they are, they’ve not bought anyone into the bubble, no high end photographers.
‘They’ve just said, “Can we just do a quick snap? Here’s us, there’s no issues and we just want to share our lovely baby.”‘
The Queen’s granddaughter, 31, and her husband Jack, 32, chose the garden of their current residence Frogmore Cottage to pose for their first photographs with their son August Philip Hawke Brooksbank over the weekend
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently released a snap as they posed in the gardens of their incredible Santa Barbara mansion.
The black and white image shows the couple sat under a tree in Los Angeles, with Harry resting his hand on Meghan’s head as she lay in his lap cradling her bump.
Vogue photographer Harriman claimed that Meghan and Harry were ‘so comfortable chatting and being in the moment that they were not fully aware that he was shooting a piece of history’, in the words of British Vogue.
But Glenn questioned the photographer’s comments, explaining: ‘It’s not a quick family portrait. It’s just so controlled and very stylised.’
The photographer said the Duke and Duchess’ picture was far from candid, explaining: ‘There’s an underlying mission, a statement [in the photograph]. I’m sure Prince Harry and Meghan speak to a PR and professional photographer to get these images out.
‘I know it was meant to have been taken on an iPad, but it has been worked on heavily. It has been heavily retouched to give it a beautifully polished look.’
Meanwhile Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle, 39, recently posed for a photoshoot in the back garden of their $14 million California mansion to announce they are expecting their second child
Meanwhile Philip Atkinson from Ignite Images agreed, and said Prince Harry and Meghan’s photograph appeared ‘staged’.
He continued: ‘Despite the smiles and the laughter, it doesn’t seem natural.’
Unusually, the majority of Harry and Meghan’s picture is taken up by a tree – with the Duke and Duchess themselves covering only less than a third of its surface area.
The importance of the backdrop was highlighted by photographer Misan Harriman, who talked in an interview about the ‘tree of life’ and the ‘garden representing fertility, life and moving forward’.
But Philip said it was unlikely others understood the reference, adding: ‘As for the ‘tree of life’ I very much doubt that people will get the reference with most people wondering why a tree trunk is almost coming out of Harry’s head.’
Eugenie and Jack’s portrait was taken by their midwife, with Glenn suggesting the images ‘weren’t uber flattering’ but it was ‘honest’
He said the photograph indicated Harry and Meghan were trying to ‘control their image to a greater degree’ than Eugenie and Jacks portrait.
Glenn explained the images came in ‘stark comparison’ to ‘very honest’ Eugenie and Jack, explaining: ‘You couldn’t meet a more normal lovely couple.’
Eugenie welcomed her first child, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, who is 11th in line to the throne, on February 9 at London’s Portland Hospital with financier Jack.
The Queen’s granddaughter shared a series of photographs on Instagram alongside her husband and August yesterday.
She revealed that the photograph was taken by their ‘wonderful midwife’, adding: ‘Thank you to the wonderful essential workers including our midwife who came to discharge our boy.’
Meanwhile Glen suggested the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would have ‘heavily edited’ their recent garden portrait
Glen explained professionals could tell the image was an amateur shot, but the family evidently didn’t mind, saying: ‘The angle the picture has been taken at, it’s not uber flattering. Its not what you’d do as a portrait.’
He continued: ‘They’ve not even picked the best or worst – it just goes to show how straightforward they are.’
Glenn suggested the photograph showed ‘Here’s Mum and Dad. Not dressed up for the occasion. It’s honest in the way its shot, what they’re wearing and what they’re saying.’
Meanwhile Navid Razazi, founder and CEO of photo-sharing platform YouPic agreed, saying Eugenie and Jack appeared more casual, adding: ‘While foliage features in the background of the photo of the Brooksbanks’, it is out of focus and is simply behind them rather than around them.’
He said the Brooksbank photograph was ‘more organic’, while Phillip added: ‘Eugenie’s photo has more of an unedited feel that people can relate to a lot more.
‘More parents will have a Eugenie style photo of their own and will have a greater connection to them as people.’