Meghan breaks cover after insisting she has moved on amid Coronation row: Duchess of Sussex pays tribute to photographer friend Misan Harriman saying he has ‘captured many meaningful milestones for me and my family’
A beaming Meghan Markle has broken cover for the first time since it emerged she will not attend King Charles’ Coronation – as her PR team insisted she has ‘moved on’ and is ‘going about her life in the present’.
Introducing her photographer friend Misan Harriman in a video ahead of his Ted Talk, the Duchess of Sussex said she was ‘thrilled’ to welcome the Nigerian-born Briton on stage where the audience heard him speak about experience capturing the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Meghan and Harry are very close to Mr Harriman and his wife Camilla Holmstroem, and the royal couple asked him to photograph them for their second pregnancy announcement, in a black-and-white picture in which they lie barefoot together under the trees in their California garden.
Mr Harriman, who worked in finance before becoming a photographer in 2016, was also asked to take pictures at Lilibet’s first birthday party at Frogmore Cottage during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee last June.
In the video introduction, Meghan said: ‘Our next speaker has an unmatched eye for a good photograph. I have experienced his talent firsthand as he has captured many meaningful milestones for me and my family.’
Referencing his activism and his work capturing the Black Lives Matter protests, she said: ‘His lens has captured everything from events that have changed the world, moments that we all desperately needed to see along with some of the planets most recognisable faces.
‘But this was not always his path, and you might be surprised to hear not who, but what, he credits for his success.’
Her appearance came after the duchess hit back at claims she is dodging the Coronation because she believes the Royal Family failed to tackle its ‘unconscious bias’ before the Sussexes left for the US.
Meghan Markle has broken cover for the first time since it emerged she will not attend King Charles’ Coronation, introducing her friend Misan Harriman via videolink before his Ted Talk
Misan later posted: ‘The Duchess of Sussex was kind enough to introduce me on to the stage for my @ted. Thank you for the support, Meg’
The Duchess of Sussex has denied reports that she is not attending the King’s Coronation because of letters exchanged with Charles over unconscious bias in the Royal Family
It is understood that the letter was sent in reply to one from the King – the only senior member of the Royal Family to make contact with the Duchess after Meghan and Harry were interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 (pictured)
The Duchess of Sussex’s spokesman said she is not thinking about ‘conversations from four years ago’ having reportedly written to King Charles following the explosive interview she and Harry gave to Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, when they claimed a senior royal had ‘concerns’ about how ‘dark’ their unborn son Archie’s skin would be.
Meghan had reportedly written to Charles in response to a letter he had sent to her. She wrote of unconscious bias but said the comment about Archie’s skin was not made with malice. But a source told the Daily Telegraph that the duchess would not attend the Coronation on May 6 because she received an unsatisfactory response from the King.
But in a statement to US magazine Harper’s Bazaar, press secretary Ashley Hansen insisted: ‘The Duchess of Sussex is going about her life in the present, not thinking about correspondence from two years ago related to conversations from four years ago.
‘Any suggestion otherwise is false and frankly ridiculous. We encourage tabloid media and various royal correspondents to stop the exhausting circus that they alone are creating.’
Omid Scobie, the Sussexes’ preferred royal reporter, was the first to post the statement from Meghan’s press team yesterday.
Misan Harriman, a close friend of the Sussexes, took a photo of Lilibet on her first birthday at Frogmore Cottage during the Platinum Jubilee
Harry and Meghan announced they were expecting their second child in February 2021, posting this photo taken by Misan Harriman
Misan Harriman, Lilibet’s photographer, with one of his children in face paint in a garden
In this picture from last year, Lilibet is seen in her mother Meghan’s arms beside photographer Misan Harriman’s family including his wife Camilla Holmstroem
Harry will attend the celebration on May 6 alone, while Meghan looks after Prince Archie on his fourth birthday and Princess Lilibet in California.
The Duke of Sussex’s relationship with his family has been poor since the Sussexes left for the US and stood down as working royals.
It worsened following the Oprah interview, when the late Queen declared that ‘recollections may vary’ after the couple made claims about racism in the Royal Family and Meghan’s allegation that the Firm failed to care for her when she was pregnant with Archie and felt suicidal.
Relations have continued to sour after the Sussexes’ six-part Netflix docuseries and the publication of the Harry’s revealing memoir, Spare.
Charles, who at the time of their press campaign was Prince of Wales, is said to be disappointed that Meghan and Harry felt the need to make such damaging allegations public.
It comes as Prince Harry recently gave backing to a research project into the monarch’s historical links to the transatlantic slave trade, having previously expressed ‘personal sorrow’ over the history. He has touched on unconscious bias in the past and in January this year, spoke to Tom Bradby on ITV about it.
The presenter, also a friend of the duke, said ‘in the Oprah interview you accused members of your family of racism’, Harry responded by saying ‘no I didn’t’, adding ‘the British press said that’.
After Bradby said the duchess claimed troubling comments were made about Archie’s skin colour, Harry said: ‘There was – there was concern about his skin colour.’
Asked if he would describe that as racist, the duke said: ‘I wouldn’t, not having lived within that family.’ He continued: ‘The difference between racism and unconscious bias, the two things are different.’
The Duchess of Sussex’s letter reportedly named the individual accused of speculating about her unborn son Archie’s skin colour – but went on to claim the person was not racist (pictured with Prince Archie in Cape Town in September 2019 while touring South Africa)
Meghan wrote to King Charles about unconscious bias in the Royal family after her bombshell Oprah interview, it was claimed (the Duchess of Sussex is pictured with King Charles, Harry and William in March 2019 at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey)
Meghan said the comment over Archie’s skin was not made with malice. But a source told the Daily Telegraph that the duchess will not attend the Coronation on May 6 because she received an unsatisfactory response from the King (pictured with the King and Queen Consort in Mary 2018)
‘But once it’s been acknowledged, or pointed out to you as an individual, or as an institution, that you have unconscious bias, you therefore have an opportunity to learn and grow from that so that you are part of the solution rather than part of the problem.’
It has also been reported that Prince Harry was ‘desperate’ to be at the Coronation to publicly support his father because he is ‘homesick’.
The Sun said on Friday that despite the duke having made repeated attempts to contact the King to discuss the plans during his time back in London, his father has only been able to pencil in time for one conversation.
It is understood that Harry was ‘missing aspects of British life’ and ‘may start spending more time’ in the UK.
A source told the publication: ‘Harry was desperate to come back for the Coronation and spend quality time with his family.’
The Duchess will remain at the couple’s residence in Montecito with one-year-old Lilibet and Archie, whose fourth birthday is on the same day as the ceremony.
Mr Scobie confirmed Archie’s birthday ‘played a factor in the couple’s decision’ and he expected it would be a ‘fairly quick trip to the UK’ for Harry. The Duke will only attend the ceremony itself, which is likely to last a few hours.
A royal observer told MailOnline: ‘Charles will be pleased. The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won’t be there – it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate.’
Harry and Meghan had delayed their decision about whether they would fly in for the ceremony, despite the RSVP date of April 3 having passed.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said in a statement: ‘Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that the Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.’
READ MORE: Prince will appear ‘quickly’ with royal family for the Westminster Abbey ceremony only as Palace confirms Duchess of Sussex will stay in LA with children
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on June 3 last year
Archewell, Harry and Meghan’s charitable foundation, then issued a near identical statement to the Press Association news agency confirming the duke will attend.
A spokesman said: ‘The Duke of Sussex will attend the coronation service at Westminster Abbey on May 6. The Duchess of Sussex will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.’
Charles will be crowned in a ceremony full of pomp, pageantry and traditions that date back 1,000 years, following the 70-year reign of his mother Queen Elizabeth II who died last September.
Mr Scobie, who is a trusted contact of the Sussexes, tweeted the news of Harry’s attendance and then added: ‘I understand that Archie’s fourth birthday (also on May 6) played a factor in the couple’s decision.
‘Expect it to be a fairly quick trip to the UK for Prince Harry, who will only be attending the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.’
And ITV News royal editor Chris Ship said: ‘Given everything that been said/alleged – in six Netflix episodes and one book – this is a big development.
‘But Harry coming alone does mean less pressure on the Royal Family – and fewer of those awkward photographs together [with Meghan].’
Harry is understood to be flying back to California just hours after the ceremony at Westminster Abbey is finished.
Royal sources claimed Harry told the King that he will not stay in Britain for the star-studded concert at Windsor Castle the following day – and will instead fly back to the US after the ceremony so he can be with his family and belatedly celebrate Archie’s fourth birthday.
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