Queen Camilla first saw a photo of Prince Harry's and Meghan Markle's son, Prince Archie, when a photographer showed her the image on his phone, it has been claimed.
Photographer Arthur Edwards, who has been taking snaps of the Royal Family since 1977, noted that when Archie was born in May 2019, Harry and Meghan took a different approach from other royals - such as Prince William and Catherine - who took pictures outside the hospital "to show the whole world their baby." The photographer claimed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tried to keep Archie's birth from the British press and did not share details straight away.
Mr Edwards said he was on a royal tour in Germany with some of Harry's family members, including Camilla, when Archie was born. He claimed he was the first person to show Camilla a photo of Archie, which he described as "difficult times" for the now Queen Consort.
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Queen Camilla was first shown a photo of Archie by a photographer, it has been claimed (Getty Images)
Harry and Meghan with their son Archie in South Africa in September 2019 (Getty Images)The photographer told The Sun on the Royal Exclusive show: "I remember showing Camilla in, I think, Munich the first pictures of Archie that was taken by the press. I showed her on my phone, and that was the first time she saw him. It was difficult times."
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Mr Edwards claimed Harry and Meghan "stage-managed" their son's birth as he explained: "When the baby was born, when Archie was born, that was another, in my view, disaster - I knew we were not going to get a picture of [Archie]. Everybody was hoping we would get pictures."
He added: "We were led to believe that she had gone into labour at two o'clock, when the baby had been born many hours earlier. We were led to believe it was going to be a home birth and it was in a hospital. The whole thing was just stage-managed to suit them."
Arthur pointed out how it was very different from when the Princess of Wales gave birth, who was pictured outside the hospital with her first child Prince George just hours after giving birth. Meghan has previously revealed why she didn't pose for pictures on the hospital steps with Archie.
Speaking on her and Harry's Netflix docuseries, she said: "There was already the pressure of the picture with Archie on the steps. Are they going to do that or are they not? But I had been really worried going into that labour because I am older and I didn't know if I would have to have a C-section."
She added: "I had a very long-standing relationship with my doctor and that is who I trusted with my pregnancy. And they said, 'Right, but she is at Portland Hospital and the steps are at this hospital (the Lindo Wing)'. And I said, 'OK, we could do a photo call in front of Portland Hospital'.
"They said it is impossible. We couldn't barricade the streets off and it would create a threat for the emergency room entrance because that is where you would have to do this picture." Instead, Meghan said she and the palace came up with an alternative plan to have pictures taken at Windsor Castle.
The year after Archie was born, Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals and moved to the US, where they currently live. Since then, they have made a number of claims about the Royal Family during interviews, their Netflix series, and Harry's memoir, 'Spare'. Harry also made personal attacks towards Camilla, claiming she played "the long game", with a campaign aimed at marriage and "the crown".
Prince Harry at the Coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 (Getty Images)He wrote in his book: "I had complex feelings about gaining a step-parent who, I believed, had recently sacrificed me on her personal PR altar." Sources claim that the public comments Harry has made about Camilla may well be hindering any potential for reconciliation between the Duke of Sussex and his father, King Charles, who is currently being treated for cancer.
An insider told Daily Beast that "Harry has made things very difficult for himself by saying such cruel and hurtful things about Camilla," adding that Charles is torn between his affection for his sons and his wife.
"Charles loves his sons, but he also loves his wife. The last few months have made it very clear how important she is; she has been the one propping up the whole edifice. Harry has made it very clear, very publicly, that he despises her. He has forced Charles to choose, which was a very silly thing to do because Camilla and he both chose each other a long time ago," the anonymous source said.
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The Mirror has contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.
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