Harry and Meghan's photographer responds to claims he 'doctored' photo of them

13 March 2024 , 12:43

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They were hit with photoshop accusations

Misan Harriman has broken his silence on claims he edited a picture of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were accused of altering a picture they shared to announce their second pregnancy. It had been reported Misan added a tree into the background of the image.

Sharing a video of himself on X, formerly known as Twitter, Misan slammed the editing accusations and said: "Hey, I've just got back to reality from the Oscars and unfortunately there's been an article on the Daily Mail saying that I have admitted to doctoring the pregnancy announcement portrait I took of Harry and Meghan. Apparently I was switching out trees and meadows and I admitted to this in an episode of a podcast called Private Passions.

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Misan Harriman has hit out at the claims (misanharriman/Twitter)

He said he was asked leading questions (misanharriman/Twitter)

"This is crazy. I was interviewed, I think it was in 2022, by a man called Berkeley on Private Passions and we were talking about the technology I used to shoot people during lockdown."

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Misan then accused host Michael Berkeley of asking him "leading questions" in the interview. He said he often gets leading questions in regards to Harry and Meghan and usually tries to "swerve, ignore, try and get back on track and say what I'm there to say rather than any intrigue and gossip."

The photographer then played a clip from the interview, in which he said: "My most well-known virtual shoot is the portrait I took of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announcing their pregnancy." Misan described it as a "very joyous" image.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their pregnancy with a stunning black-and-white picture (The Duke and Duchess of Sussex ©)

Misan described the snap as a 'very joyous image' (Misan Harriman via Instagram/AFP)

He explained how the technology used allowed him to take over a phone so they could hear his voice, while he was able to press the shutter. Michael then said: "They weren't actually under a willow tree, but they were lying outside in a meadow, weren't they, Harry and Meghan, when you took the photograph of them?"

Misan replied: "Hmm, yeah, they were lost in their love at home in their garden, comfortable." He added: "It really was a particularly joyous image to celebrate life itself."

Addressing his fans, Misan continued: "So, how that exchange could amount to me admitting to doctoring an image is insidious and really dangerous journalism. Any mention of meadows and willow trees came out of the person doing the interview, not my mouth."

The Oscar-nominated film director said he tried his best to ignore the mention of editing. "So to see an article saying as fact that I did what I did not do is extraordinary to me."

Finishing the video, Misan said: "It was a virtual shoot that I shot on an iPad, an eight megapixel iPad and the only thing that was changed was the black-and-white colour grade, that's it."

Scarlett O'Toole