The Queen Doesn't Have a Picture of Harry, Meghan, or Archie on Her Desk for Her Yearly Address

In the annual recording of Queen Elizabeth's Christmas message, an accompanying photo of the Queen at her desk had no picture of Harry, Meghan, or their son Archie.

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(Image credit: STEVE PARSONS)
Katherine J. Igoe's avatar
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Well this is intriguing. We just got a preview of Queen Elizabeth's annual Christmas address, and fans immediately noted a conspicuous absence from the framed photos on her desk this year: There's no Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, or Archie Harrison.

Fans were quick to point out that every family member included this year is in the line of succession: Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their family. The Queen's father King George, giving his own address. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. And lastly, Prince Philip, who just came home from the hospital in time for Christmas. But, in reaction to that, others noted that last year included photos from Meghan and Harry's wedding, as well as Eugenie's wedding and a huge family photo (from Charles' 70th birthday).

Of course, let's just put this out there right now: The Queen is allowed to do things however she chooses. In 2017, for living family members, she just had a photo of her two grandchildren at the time, Charlotte and George, as well as Philip. In 2016 she had a photo of Philip, and a photo of Charles and herself. It changes every single year, probably to avoid this exact challenge. It's just that the timing is a bit crummy. Plus, Archie was born earlier this year, so the absence feels a bit confusing. BUT, with all that said, the Queen's message this year centered around this being a "bumpy" time and "small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding." So if one might read into anything, it's the vision of a strong monarchy in times of struggle, perhaps.

Also, as royal reporter Elizabeth Holmes noted in her Instagram Stories, the picture is taken in the Green Drawing Room of Windsor Castle, which is where Harry and Meghan's wedding and christening photos were taken—so that might be a very subtle shoutout to the Sussexes?

For reference, this is last year's:

Queen Elizabeth II Delivers Her Christmas Speech

(Image credit: WPA Pool)

I...don't know how to feel, TBH.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.