The photo portrayed the line of succession (Image: PA)
Every Christmas, the delights their followers with charming family photos as a token of gratitude for their support and to commemorate the holiday season.
In recent times, the Royal children have frequently been the stars of these official festive portraits. The public always warmly receives glimpses of how rapidly George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie, and Lilibet are growing up.
However, a portrait released a few years ago at New Year reportedly stirred some itself, according to a Royal author.
The expert even suggested that the picture was intended to convey a message.
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One author said the post rattled cages (Image: Getty)
The photo, unveiled in late December 2019, featured the late Queen Elizabeth, King Charles – then Prince of Wales – along with and Prince George. The image, which only showed the three future kings at the time, allegedly sparked internal controversy.
According to the author, it was meant by Charles and William to send a message to and his wife .
Royal author Robert Lacey, in his book alleges that the photo was Charles’s idea as he wanted to demonstrate his long-standing vision of a “slimmed down’ monarchy” monarchy.
Writing for the Daily Mail, he states: “What a fascinating and historic image to remind us of the essence of the royal system! The current monarch with three future monarchs.
“All the living heirs – and not a suggestion of a ‘spare’. The four royals are seen standing in ‘s Throne Room, with George and Charles standing on a step next to William and the Queen.
“They were all dressed smartly, with George looking adorably grown up in a white shirt and a pair of tartan trousers. It accompanied a sweet video of them making with the youngest future king getting involved with the stirring, released a few weeks earlier.
“Harry and his son Archie were nowhere to be seen – as they are much further down.”
The quartet of royals were photographed in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, with George and Charles elevated on a step beside William and the Queen. All were impeccably dressed, with looking charmingly mature in a white shirt and tartan trousers.
This image was released alongside a delightful video of them preparing Christmas puddings, featuring the youngest future king enthusiastically stirring the mixture.
Harry and his son Archie were noticeably absent, due to their lower positions in the line of succession. According to Royal historian Robert Lacey: “According to insiders, this formal photograph, taken in the Buckingham Palace Throne Room a week before Christmas 2019, was the idea of , anxious to promote his cause of the ‘slimmed-down monarchy’.
“Palace sources have also let it be known that the plan of depicting the direct line of Royal succession was enthusiastically supported by , which might be seen as sending his younger brother a message.”
Meghan and Harry reportedly took the photo to heart (Image: Getty)
Lacey suggests that took this photo “to heart” and were upset by it. However, most Royal experts believe this decision wasn’t intended to upset the Sussexes, but rather to illustrate how the Royal family operates.
Earlier this year, ITV’s Royal editor Chris Ship commented: “The portrait that Buckingham Palace released to mark the start of the decade. It was the Queen and the three future kings – and there was also a bit of video of them stirring Christmas puddings.”
“I’m not saying they were cutting Harry and Meghan out because it was a brutal fact that Harry was never part of that line of succession but start of a decade it felt like the Royal family was very much focusing on the future – the Queen and her three heirs.”