A royal photographer reveals the difficult backstory behind that ‘iconic’ photo of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are undoubtedly one of the most photographed couples in the world, unable to walk down the street or hop on a plane without hundreds of cameras following them.

There is one photograph of the couple however that is more iconic than most. We are of course talking about that romantic shot of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex walking in the rain under an umbrella on their way to the Endeavour Awards this year.

The award-winning photographer behind the shot, Samir Hussein, has opened up about getting the famous photograph and it proves it was a one in a million shot.

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Tonight in London, for their third consecutive year, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the annual Endeavour Fund Awards, which celebrates the achievements of those veterans injured in service who have taken part in remarkable sporting and adventure challenges over the last year. By choosing to take on what seems impossible, these men and women not only set goals for themselves but have also inspired millions of people around the world. These annual awards bring together The Duke and The Duchess alongside wounded, injured and sick Service personnel and veterans as well as their families, friends and supporters of the military community. The Duke, who founded the @EndeavourFund, spoke on the night: • “The Endeavour Fund came from seeing the gaping hole that can be left after taking off that uniform. The power that sport and adventurous challenge plays in recovery, yes; but most of all – the chance to be part of a team again while attempting to achieve unthinkable challenges – as if being shot or blown up wasn’t enough, you guys continue to impress, inspire and challenge what it means to have a life changing injury.” • Since its launch in 2012, the Endeavour Fund has supported 108 projects that have directly assisted over 6,000 of those injured in service. Congratulations to all those who participated in endeavours over the last year and inspired others to push the boundaries of what’s possible! #EndeavorFundAwards

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Mar 5, 2020 at 2:34pm PST

‘It was pouring down with rain, which can be very tricky when shooting flash photography,’ Samir explained in a statement via Vogue. ‘[It] also meant Harry and Meghan would be under an umbrella, which usually means it’s hard to get clean photos of the couple. Little did I know these elements would come together so spectacularly to produce a timeless image.’

He continued: ‘As they walked toward me, I noticed a flash going off from a camera in the crowd behind them. I knew that if that light could be lined up to be right behind as they walked, then it could create a dramatic photo, acting like a backlight in a studio shot. I managed to manoeuvre myself to line up the flash behind them and then had to work quickly, with just a second or two to get the shot as they smiled wonderfully at each other.

‘It’s a one in a million, when all the elements you could wish for as a photographer come together — perfect timing, great lighting, strong symbolism, and amazing subjects.’

Well, that’s lovely.

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