Prince Harry and Meghan vs. Prince William and Kate: the official wedding photos

Kensington Palace has released three official photographs from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding.

The portraits, taken by England-born photographer Alexi Lubomirski, show the couple alone on the East Terrace of Windsor Castle and with members of the wedding party in the castle’s Green Drawing Room.

“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex would like to thank everyone who took part in the celebrations of their wedding on Saturday,” a Palace spokesperson said.

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“They feel so lucky to have been able to share their day with all those gathered in Windsor and also all those who watched the wedding on television across the UK, Commonwealth and around the world.”

So how do the pictures compare with the three official photos from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in 2011?

On first glance, they take a similar format. Both sets of snaps include one of the couple alone, one of the couple with their bridesmaids and pageboys, and one of the main wedding party.

It is the couple portraits that show the biggest differences. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding was a state occasion and, accordingly, their photo together is more formal. The royal pair are pictured standing in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace.

By contrast, Prince Harry and Meghan are captured in black and white, lounging on the steps of Windsor Castle, laughing together.

Hugo Burnand, the photographer for the 2011 wedding, was best known for taking official photographs of Prince Charles and Camilla, while Lubomirski has shot celebrities including Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston, notes Harper’s Bazaar.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s family photo also feels “a bit more intimate than William and Kate’s family portrait, likely because Meghan’s mother was her only family member present”, says Town & Country. “This is likely also why Prince William and Duchess Kate are on the bride’s side of this portrait,” the magazine adds.