The Duchess of Sussex has opened up her personal photo album to fans to show off her family’s recent summer holiday, but one photo could potentially raise eyebrows among her relatives and some royal watchers.
Meghan uploaded a carousel of images to her public Instagram account in the early hours of Friday (AEST) along with the caption “Summer holiday”, including an image of her family believed to have been taken during a visit to Princess Diana’s family home.
Meghan shared a photo of Prince Harry, Archie and Lilibet at Althorp, Princess Diana’s family home. Instagram/Megan
Media, including People, Known to have sources close to the Sussexes, one of the images appears to have been taken at the Spencer family estate, Althorp.
The photograph shows Prince Harry, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet strolling across a tree-lined lawn.
Both Harry and Archie, who are furthest from the camera, are carrying large bouquets of flowers. Duke’s flowers are white, while Archie’s are a mixture of white and lavender flowers.
The area is similar to aerial photographs of the Althorp estate.
It was widely reported that the Sussexes were planning to stay at Althorp during their recent visit to the UK, with some media reports even suggesting that a Spencer family reunion was in the works.
It was also reported that the Sussex family could remain at the estate, which is located in Northamptonshire in England.
Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, is buried there on an island accessible only by rowing boat.
It is not open to the public, but visitors to Althorp can pay their respects to the late princess at a designated shrine and memorial on the estate, which is open to the public in the summer.
The tree-lined Althorp estate appears to match the photo Meghan shared. Getty
In the photo, Prince Harry and Prince Archie are carrying bouquets of flowers. Instagram/@Megan
It was reported that Harry was planning to take his wife and children to visit his mother’s final resting place, and rumors that the visit had taken place gained momentum when Althorp was suddenly closed to the public for two days, July 10 and 11, coinciding with the Sussexes’ time in the UK.
However, many royal commentators believed it was unlikely that Meghan would share photos of the visit given the sensitive and private nature of the visit.
The decision to release the photo may upset some family members, especially Prince William, who has never publicly shared photos of visits to his mother’s grave with his family.
Visitors to Althorp can visit a special temple dedicated to Diana on the estate. Sion Twohig/Getty Images
Prince Harry previously revealed in his memoirs that he took Meghan to visit his mother’s grave. Spare.
Elsewhere in the carousel of photos Meghan shared overnight were photos taken during their jaunt through Europe.
It was widely reported that the Sussexes spent time in Portugal before Prince Harry flew to the UK alone for a series of public events.
Other images show Prince Archie in the cockpit of a plane, the family on the beach, swimming in the pool at their Montecito home and dining at a restaurant.
A rare photo of Prince Archie from Meghan’s summer holiday album. Instagram/@Megan
Meghan, Harry, Archie and Lilibet enjoy a trip to the beach. Instagram/@Megan
Harry announced in June that he planned to bring his family to the UK, but the plan was shelved after his request for taxpayer-funded security was rejected.
Instead, Harry traveled to Britain alone to attend a series of public events before Meghan and their children joined him for a private visit that included an hour-long meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The visit, which took place at the king’s private home, Highgrove, became public only after the Sussexes left the estate.