The new firm
Duke and Duchess bring a relaxed touch to royal wedding photographs amid Windsor Castle splendour
Duchess’s mother at heart of captivating family portrait
THEY capture the moment Meghan Markle entered “the firm” on the arm of her prince.
As the world has come to expect from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, though, they brought their own unique style to their official wedding photographs.
In the splendour of Windsor Castle’s Green Drawing Room, as pictured on the front page of today’s Daily Telegraph, the Queen and her descendants, as well as the bride’s other flower girls and pageboys, gathered an hour after the service on Saturday for a series of images that captured both the importance of the occasion and the joy of a smitten couple.
With the Duke of Edinburgh, 96, on one side, and a beaming Prince George, four, on the other, playful bridesmaids and pageboys scatter cross-legged on the floor.
The new Duchess, radiant at the very centre of the photograph, is flanked by the two pillars in her life: her husband and her mother, Doria Ragland – the only member of her family who attended the wedding, and who was praised for her dignity and grace on an emotional day.
The photograph is a striking contrast to even the most recent royal wedding, abandoning the formal lined up pose chosen by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge for their 2011 photographs.
Instead, the newly-weds opt for an artfully arranged bridal party comprising 10 children, ushered into position around the Queen, which could have come straight from the pages of Vogue. A second image shows the Duke and Duchess sitting on low stools with the children, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte who had clearly been practising their smiles for the camera.
The third, featuring just the bride and groom, is shot in black and white, capturing the moment they could finally relax in the privacy of the castle after their very public wedding.
The official photographs echo the style of the couple’s engagement photographs, in which they nestled romantically together. They were taken by Alexi Lubomirski and released by Kensington Palace yesterday, after they had been edited and shown to the Duke and Duchess.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would like to thank everyone who took part in the celebrations of their wedding on Saturday. They feel so lucky to have been able to share their day with all those gathered in Windsor and also all those who watched the wedding on television across the UK, Commonwealth, and around the world.
“Their Royal Highnesses are delighted with these official portraits ... and are happy to be able to share them today. They would also like to say thank you for all of the generous messages of support they have received.”
Mr Lubomirski, who took the couple’s official engagement pictures, said: “It has been an incredible honour and privilege to document the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s inspiring journey of love, hope and family; from the engagement photos, all the way through to the official wedding and family portraits on Saturday.
“This has been a beautiful chapter in my career and life, that I will happily never forget.”
The collection of images spans the generations of the Royal family, with the Queen and all three of her heirs captured smiling. It covers 95 years, from the Duke of Edinburgh, who turns 97 next month, to two-year-old bridesmaid Zalie Warren.
The children – full of beans after the wedding – were kept in line by palace aides as the bride and groom stand serenely in the middle. The irrepressible youngsters are understood to have been particularly excited by the success of their walk up and down the aisle, which had proved chaotic in rehearsals but was a triumph on the day.
Although the finished photographs are fresh in their composition, they do contain key elements of the classic official royal photograph.
In the most formal picture of the whole family, the Duchess honours the Queen with the prominent display of her 5m-long veil, arranged across the carpet and embroidered with 53 flowers representing each Commonwealth country so close to Her Majesty’s heart.
The Prince of Wales, stands next to his son, after accompanying the Duchess to the altar earlier that afternoon.
The Duke of Cambridge, the best man, appears on the other side, in his frock-coat uniform of the Blues and Royals, while the Duchess of Cambridge holds Princess Charlotte on her knee. Prince George, who will one day be king, has been given his own gilded chair, smiling confidently after a series of shy recent public appearances.
The Duke of Sussex, beaming with pride, stands behind his wife, allowing her to shine.
Ms Ragland is at the heart of the new family group, her outfit complementing the Queen. She will soon return to her job as a social worker in Los Angeles after what has proved a whirlwind week with the Royal family.
She is said to have been warmly welcomed by the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who have each invited her to tea, with the Prince escorting her throughout the wedding day. She is expected to make regular visits to see her daughter and son-in-law at Kensington Palace when time and her holiday allowance permit, and will be invited to key royal gatherings with the Duchess.
Of course, not everything on the photo shoot went perfectly to plan.
One bridesmaid, Remi Litt, appears to have pulled a flower out of her bouquet, while Zalie was absorbed in something more interesting off camera. Ivy Mulroney, four, and threeyear-old Florence Van Cutsem seemed to have formed a sweet friendship, holding hands as they shared a bouquet, perhaps suggesting one had mislaid their own along the way.
The second photograph, of the newly weds and children sees pageboys lean casually against the chairs, while Princess Charlotte sits cross-legged. Jasper Dyer, the Duke’s godson, appears solemn in one image and lively in the other, while Rylan Litt, seven, remains picture-perfect throughout.
The Duke and Duchess’s own photograph was taken between their carriage ride through Windsor and their afternoon reception.