A run-in with the Queen's assistant & 3 key words on the day – Meghan & Harry's wedding snapper spills ALL the secrets
AISLE SAY A run-in with the Queen's assistant & 3 key words on the day – Meghan & Harry's wedding snapper spills ALL the secrets
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry's wedding photographer has been opening up about behind-the-scenes secrets from the big day.
In a video, Alexi Lubomirski revealed the comical message he was given from the Queen's assistant when he asked for more time.
Advertisement
6
Alexi Lubomirski was the official photographer at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding and has been sharing secrets about the day
Credit: Tiktok/@alexi.lubomirski
6
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot on May 19, 2018 in Windsor
Credit: Getty
6
Alexi snapped this official portrait - and shared a story about how he kept the Queen waiting
Credit: PA
The royal photographer shared how he only had a limited time to do the family wedding portraits and 'nothing was ready' when the late Queen arrived.
He shared: 'I look over my shoulder, and then—there's the Queen and Prince Philip standing in the middle of the room.
'Nothing is ready. No family members are in their place.
'And all of a sudden, me and Harry just looked at each other, and we went in opposite directions, trying to get as many people as possible into their chairs.
Advertisement
'Now, as we're all running around, I see the Queen standing there, and I say to her assistant, 'Could you just go and tell Her Majesty that we're gonna be just five minutes?'
'And she looked at me and said, 'No.''
Alexi explained how he had to walk up to the Queen and say: 'I'm terribly sorry, Your Majesty. We're gonna be about five minutes.'
Queen Elizabeth II, who was known for giving witty replies, is said to have responded.
Advertisement
Alexi continued: 'She looked at me and said, 'It's not me you need to worry about.'
'And I said, 'Oh. Okay. Oh.''
Meghan Markle reveals the reason why she always refers to Prince Harry as 'H'
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot at St George's Chapel in Windsor - watched by millions - on May 19, 2018, and just celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary.
Alexi also revealed what it was like working with the likes of Princess Charlotte, then aged three, who was a bridesmaid, and Prince George, then-four, who was pageboy at the wedding.
Advertisement
Royal bribing
The photographer revealed the clever way the nannies bribed the group of kids so they would behave during the wedding proceedings.
He shared: 'I heard the kids - the page boys and the bridesmaids.
'And these were young children, and of course they were getting bored and misbehaving. 'And one of the nannies said to them, 'If you're good, you're gonna get Smarties.'
'And Smarties, in case you don't know, are like M&M's.
Advertisement
'And for some reason, that stuck in my head.'
6
The royal kids were bribed with smarties to keep them quiet
Credit: Yui Mok / Press Association
6
During the portraits Alexi asked if any kids liked smarties to make them smile
Credit: Handout - Getty
He later remembered the key detail during the wedding portraits - and it made for a sweet moment.
Advertisement
Alexi explained: 'At one point, none of the kids were looking at me.
'They're all running around.
'And I could see the Queen shuffling in her seat.
'So I suddenly shouted, 'Who likes Smarties?'—remembering what the nanny had said before.
Advertisement
'And all of the kids looked at me.
'And Harry suddenly said, 'Me,' which makes you smile, and all—everybody laughed and smiled, and the kids were like, 'Me!'
'So I took the picture. Snap, snap, snap!'
Wedding pressure
6
Alexi also did Meghan and Harry's engagement photos
Credit: Tiktok/@alexi.lubomirski
Advertisement
Alexi, who had been hired to take Meghan and Harry's engagement photos, shared how it had been 'scary to say the least' to be asked to do the wedding photography.
He added: 'So for two months before the wedding, I would constantly get messages on Instagram saying, 'Don't screw it up. This is a historical document. Don't mess it up.'
'So, there was a lot of pressure.'
Speaking of the day, he shared how incredible it was to be part of such a historic event.
Advertisement
Alexi added: 'You think, wow, s***—I'm at a royal wedding. This is kind of a historical moment. This is interesting to be at.
'And then your other part of the brain is going, s***—I've got to take maybe the most important pictures of my career, in about half an hour now.'
MEGHAN MARKLE'S STUNNING GIVENCHY WEDDING DRESS
Meghan Markle stunned onlookers as she arrived at St George's Chapel in Windsor, ahead of her nuptials to Prince Harry, in a stunning bespoke gown by Givenchy, created by British designer Clare Waight Keller.
The former Suits actress chose to work with Clare Waight Keller 'for her timeless and elegant aesthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanour'.
Meghan wanted to 'highlight the success of a leading British talent who has now served as the creative head of three globally influential fashion houses – Pringle of Scotland, Chloé, and now Givenchy'.
Meghan and Clare worked closely together on the design, which featured a graphic open bateau neckline that gracefully frames the shoulders and emphasises Meghan's slender waist.
Alexi Lubomirski is a fashion photographer who was born in England to a Peruvian/English mum and Polish/French dad.
Alexi has worked with Beyoncé, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lopez, Salma Hayek, Katy Perry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Scarlett Johansson.
Advertisement
He studied photography at degree level at Brighton University.
After graduation he worked as Mario Testino's assistant for four years, and later went on to work with Katie Grand on the now defunct culture title The Face.
Since then his work has appeared in Harper's Bazaar US, Harper's Bazaar UK, Vogue Mexico, Vogue Germany, Vogue Russia, Vogue Spain, Vogue Korea, Vogue China, Vogue Nippon, Men's Vogue China, Numero Tokyo, W Korea, GQ USA and Allure.
He has also had books published of his work, and currently lives in New York with his wife and their two sons.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday: Celebs hopping on TikTok trend and jets
The discount airfare line has recently found itself the subject of virality, as users post their vacation and life mishaps online to the soundtrack of a 2024 ad promoting the company's discounted flights. "Nothing beats a Jet2 Holiday," the ad promises as British singer Jess Glynne's 2015 song "Hold My Hand" blasts in the background. Even celebrities have been eager to hop on the trend, with stars like Mariah Carey and Jeff Goldblum parodying the ad. Social media users are proving why nothing beats a Jet2 holiday. What's that? Goldblum, known for his own TV ad campaigns, joined in the fun, posting a TikTok with a remixed voice-over, swapping "Jet2" for "Jeff2." Fans were delighted, with one commenting: "If Jeff Goldblum isn't greeting me at the gate in sunglasses and a silk shirt, is it even a Jeff2 holiday?" Carey, on the other hand, used the trend to announce her performance at Brighton Pride in the United Kingdom, posting a TikTok of her boarding a plane to the viral sound accompanied by the caption "Nothing beats going to Brighton Pride!!" Jet2, no doubt happily basking in the unexpected free press, commented below Carey's post: "We belong together." That the "Obsessed" singer was boarding a private jet in her video butts up against the ethos of the trend, which has connected social media users worldwide about everything from budget airfare to hilarious travel plans gone wrong. The ad's song has even been remixed by some on the internet, with a soca version dominating recent videos and a New Orleans bounce remix as the background to multiple dance videos. Singer slams Trump administration for using her song to promote deportations Glynn also spoke out earlier this week about another group clearly not in on the joke: the Trump administration. When the White House's official Instagram shared a post on July 30 celebrating the Trump admin's mass deportation efforts to the tune of "Hold My Hand," Glynn was quick to shoot them down. The video, which showed people being escorted out of a van and marched onto a plane with their hands and ankles handcuffed, was accompanied by the caption: "When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. ?? Nothing beats it!" Though federal agents' faces are blurred, the detainees' faces are not. In response, Glynn wrote in an Instagram story: "This post honestly makes me sick. My music is about love, unity, and spreading positivity - never about division or hate."
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad outrage is 'moronic': White House
"This warped, moronic and dense liberal thinking is a big reason why Americans voted the way they did in 2024," he wrote on X July 29, in response to an MSNBC op-ed that said it was "fair" to condemn Sweeney's ad. He added that people are "tired of this" and using a profanity. Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad sparks controversy: Here's why The ad campaign, made in a larger partnership between the "Euphoria" actress and the popular brand, used wordplay to describe Sweeney, 27, who appears in jeans as having "good genes." Critics have said the jeans campaign amounts to a dog whistle for eugenics and a glorification of whiteness. Sydney Sweeney critics compare jeans campaign to Brooke Shields' Calvin Klein ad In one of several videos for the advertising blitz, Sweeney, clad in a denim-on-denim outfit, says: "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color." "My jeans are blue," she says as the camera pans across her blue denim and her blue eyes. Texas Republican Ted Cruz also took to X on July 29 to blast the left for criticizing the ad. "Wow. Now the crazy Left has come out against beautiful women. I'm sure that will poll well...." he wrote. Other notable figures adding their two cents include "Bachelor" star Gabby Windey and even Doja Cat, who mocked the ad in a TikTok video.
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Mac and cheese tastes extra rich when you add four ingredients Anthony Bourdain loves
The late great Anthony Bourdain has the perfect mac and cheese recipe which is perfectly rich, creamy and delicious - guaranteed to pick you up out of a bad mood or a tough day Few things in life are as comforting as a steaming bowl of gooey, rich and cheesy pasta. Whether it's a tough day at the office or the wet weather has you feeling mardy, a hefty bowl of creamy carbs can be exactly what the doctor ordered - metaphorically speaking. Mac and cheese fits perfectly into this category, with its hearty and filling nature, it's the food equivalent of having a hug, but while the dish's name implies all it takes is some pasta tubes and hefty grating of cheddar to master a great mac and cheese, it takes a little more culinary skill. Luckily, the late great Anthony Bourdain has come out to rescue home cooks in need of some guidance with the perfect recipe which could pick your mood up. One person who tested the mood boosting meal was Sofia Antona, a food influencer on TikTok. She opened the video saying: "I was in such a grumpy mood today, so I took myself to Tesco to make Anthony Bourdain's macaroni and cheese from his book Appetites: A Cookbook. "It's my go-to as it uses a really nice blend of cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan and gruyere, so it's super cheesy and comforting." The chef known for cutting the frills out of cooking to create the best out of a few simple ingredients has seemingly pulled out of the bag once again with a delicious recipe that's not going to take you hours or leave you with a huge mess. To make a full-sized dish that will feed around four, he kicks things off by boiling around a 1lb of elbow macaroni and some heavily salted water until it just turns al dente. At this point, it's important not to overcook the pasta as it will be heading back into the oven later, which will cause it to soften more. Next, melt five tablespoons of unsalted butter in a pan until it starts to foam, then gently sprinkle in the same amount of plain white flour, continuing to stir steadily to create a roux. The mixture should start to form a loose dough-like texture. Keep gently moving it around the pan on a medium-high heat until the mixture starts to darken. Here you're looking for the roux to become a rich golden brown so it can develop a much deeper, nuttier texture. Once it's looking nice and golden, bit by bit, add around a litre of milk, whisking continually and gently adding all the milk. Once fully combined, move back to a wooden spoon and gently cook out until it's just under a boil. The sauce should continue to thicken to around the consistency of heavy cream. Once you have the sauce, known as a Béchamel, you can start to flavour it up. Bourdain adds two teaspoons of mustard powder and cayenne pepper as well as 1teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. Next, add around 110g of grated good-quality parmesan (saving a few handfuls for on top) and gruyère, 140g of cheddar and 85g of torn fresh mozzarella. By combining four different cheeses, the final result will be rich and highly decadent. Once the cheese has completely melted, throw 110g of sliced ham and mix in the macaroni. This should give your dish an extra salty kick. Add to a baking dish, finish with the leftover cheese and bake in a 190C oven for around 20 minutes until golden brown and gooey. Leave to cool down so it doesn't burn your mouth and tuck in, although you should be warned it may leave you wanting a nap soon after.
