Prince Harry-Royal Family rift: The 2020 heir photo that started it all

Prince Harry and his wife cut off ties with Buckingham Palace years ago, and it now appears that a royal picture is to blame for it. According to author Andrew Morton, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made the decision to step down from their royal duties after being snubbed in a family portrait. 

In his biography 'Meghan: A Hollywood Princess', Morton claims that a photo taken in 2020 was the final nail in the coffin of the pair's bond with the royals. The image, taken in the palace's Throne Room, features late Queen Elizabeth II, her son Charles, grandson William and great-grandson George. 

It leaves out Prince Harry, the younger son of now-King Charles. “The royal couple suspected that the entire institution was conspiring against them. As they saw it, the evidence was all around them. The unspoken code was straightforward: the future of the monarchy was assured, with or without Meghan and Harry,” Morton wrote, according to the New York Post. 

The image was apparently not received well by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. (Image: AP)

Sussexes quit as senior royal members after release of image

Just two days after the heir photo was released by the palace, the Sussexes announced that they would no longer be senior members of the royal family. “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution," read their statement, which was released on January 8, 2020. 

As the picture dropped, so did Prince Harry's ties with his family. Since then, the red-headed prince has only further burned bridges by divulging about the royals in interviews, documentaries, and his latest bombshell memoir titled 'Spare'. For now, Prince Harry and Markle live far away from the British monarchy in a posh neighbourhood in California, US, with their two children Archie and Lillibet.