GOOD Morning Britain’s Kate Garraway has questioned whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmas card was released to “usurp” the Queen.
The TV host discussed how the official image – which saw baby Lilibet Diana photographed for the first time – was released on the same day as Her Majesty’s.
Kate, 54, and co-host Richard Bacon discussed the image, which seesThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex alongside their kids Archie, two, and Lilibet, six months.
Showing the first real look at both the children’s faces, the image was released to the public on Thursday on Instagram – much to the delight of Royal fans.
But it pipped Buckingham Palace’s official photograph of the Queen – whose annual speech will be broadcast tomorrow – to the post.
It led Kate and Richard, 46, to speculate whether or not there was a reason the Christmas images were released in such quick succession.
“They released their card half an hour before Buckingham Palace and the Queen did,” Richard explained on Friday morning’s show.
Kate then asked: “So is there a suggestion, Richard, that they kind of did that to in some way usurp the Queen?”
Former Blue Peter star Richard responded in defence of Meghan, 40, and Harry, 37: “It sounds ridiculous to me but that is obviously the suggestion.
“I think when you live on the west coast over there [in America], you’re just the tiny bit not sure what time it is over here.”
Kate then turned to ask ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship for his take on the card, saying: “Is that what you think?”
“It had to be released at some point,” Chris replied. “The Queen’s picture was released at 10:30pm and that Harry and Meghan photo dropped into my inbox at around 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon.
“I don’t agree that it was done to usurp the Queen, no.”
Political commentator Iain Dale further added in defence of the image: ” I think it’s a lovely picture, why do people have to over analyse these things?
“I doubt they would know when Buckingham Palace would release the other one.”
It comes as Royal fans were left delighted after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released their 2021 Christmas card on social media.
After the pair, who live in Los Angeles, released the card – which featured a picture taken by photographer Alexi Lubomirski in the summer – fans were quick to comment on two-year-old Archie’s flame-red hair.
The card was the first time the public have been treated to an image of baby Lilibet, who was born in June, and the tot was seen laughing as she was held aloft by her mother.
While Lili doesn’t have much hair as yet, it seems as though she might also have inherited her father’s ginger locks.
“Look at Archie! Adorable. Looks like Lilibet will have red hair too. Beautiful,” another person tweeted.
“OMG Lilibet looks so cute! Archie’s red hair also giving me feels! URGH! What a grand Christmas Card from The Sussex’s!” someone else wrote on Twitter.
Others were quick to point out that Lili’s nose looks almost identical to her mum’s, with one tweeting: “Archie’s red hair and curls and Lili looking cute as ever with her mama’s nose!”
