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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Ffion Lewis

King Charles releases new family portrait but there's no Prince Harry and Meghan

The Royal Family has released a new portrait of King Charles III, the Queen Consort, and the Prince and Princess of Wales which experts think sends a strong message to Prince Harry and Meghan. The portrait of the four was taken on September 18, the day before the Queen's funeral.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are noticeably missing from the snap, which a royal expert says sends a "no way back" message to the pair who have decided to leave royal life. Despite primarily residing in the USA, Harry and Meghan were in the UK at the time the photograph was taken.

Royal expert Richard Kay has said the photograph sends a clear signal that the couple will "never again return to their central role in royal life." Speaking to the Daily Mail he said: "It surely can be no coincidence that the picture was taken when the couple were still in Britain and several days before they returned home to their children Archie and Lilibet.

Read more: The Royal Family members living in Balmoral, Buckingham Palace and Sandringham after Queen's death

"It must, therefore, be yet another signal that they will never again return to their central role in royal life." Prince Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior members of the royal family in January 2020 and resigned from all royal duties in February 2021.

Since this decision, they now reside in California with their two children Archie, three, and Lilibet, one. The family visited the UK earlier this year to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, and again in September. The September trip was initially intended for charitable work but was extended after the death of Harry's grandmother the Queen.

Since her death the pair were seen with Prince William and Kate, the new Prince and Princess of Wales, as they greeted mourners at Windsor castle. Harry also joined the Queen's other grandchildren as they guarded her coffin while she was lying in state at Westminster Hall.

Prince Harry was given special permission by the King to wear military uniform at the vigil. Until then, the Duke of Sussex had been stripped of his military titles after leaving life as a working royal. After the funeral of the Queen on Monday, September 19 where Harry took part in the procession, both he and Meghan flew back to the USA.

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