In a further setback for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the National Portrait Gallery in London has announced that it will not be displaying their portrait. The gallery, which acquired the black-and-white image of the couple earlier this year, has decided to keep the photograph in its archives rather than display it to the public.
The portrait, taken by close friend Misan Harriman of the Sussexes, captures the couple together at the opening of the One Young World summit in Manchester. Despite its importance, the gallery has no plans to display the image, adding to the couple’s ongoing challenges in maintaining a public presence in the UK.
In a statement addressing the decision, a spokesperson for the National Portrait Gallery explained: “The portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was acquired for the Gallery’s photograph collection in May 2024. Following cataloguing and digitisation, the portrait was added to our website earlier this month. There are no current plans to display the portrait at the Gallery.” Daily Mail.
The gallery’s decision not to display Harry and Meghan’s portrait comes after it was revealed that its royal collection contains no photos of Meghan, despite containing more than a million images spanning five centuries of the British monarchy. The absence of her image from such an extensive archive highlights the couple’s complicated relationship with the royal institution.
The National Portrait Gallery The gallery is world-renowned for its vast collection of portraits, depicting figures from across the monarchy and other prominent public figures. Princess Kate, who is a patron of the gallery, has no direct influence over which photos are chosen for display. Royal portraits on display at the gallery are usually donated by photographers or specially commissioned, meaning that decisions about exhibits are guided by curators’ choices rather than royal preferences.
While Harry and Meghan’s portrait has been officially added to the gallery’s digital collection, the gallery’s decision not to display it has sparked speculation about the couple’s current status within the royal family’s visual legacy. This comes amid continued scrutiny of the Sussexes’ lives after stepping back from royal duties in 2020 and moving to California.
Despite this setback, the couple remains in the public spotlight through their various philanthropic initiatives, media projects and public appearances. However, the decision by one of the UK’s most prestigious cultural institutions to keep their portrait out of public view raises questions about their lasting place in the visual and cultural history of the British monarchy.
