Kim Kardashian Speaks on Controversial Online Moment With Harry, Meghan Photo
- Kim Kardashian addressed the online backlash that followed the sudden removal of Prince Harry, Meghan's photos from Kris Jenner’s birthday post
- She explained the decision was made out of sensitivity to timing, after concerns arose about how the images might be perceived
- What began as an innocent social media post quickly spiralled into widespread speculation, prompting Kim to finally share her side of the story
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Kim Kardashian has disclosed that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry requested the removal of photos taken at Kris Jenner's 70th birthday party because it was the night before Remembrance Sunday.
The disappearing photographs triggered a global media storm known as 'photo-gate' and caused a stir in Hollywood, amid confusion over who had asked for the photos to be taken down from Instagram last November.
Source: Instagram
Two months later, Kardashian stated it was Harry and Meghan’s decision.
“I think they realised it was Remembrance Day and they didn’t want to be seen at a party,” she said.
Kim clarified that the photos were posted with the Sussexes' consent, explaining:
“We were advised that it was completely fine to upload. We never post without permission. It is not who we are.”
Candid images from the event showed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex mingling with Kris Jenner during her 70th birthday celebration, held in November at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's $165 million mansion in Beverly Hills. The Bond-themed party was attended by a host of celebrities.
In one photo, Harry was seen walking towards Jenner on the dancefloor. He wore a poppy on his lapel, a symbol of Remembrance Day, while Meghan did not.
However, hours later, Kim and Kris mysteriously scrubbed all images featuring the Sussexes from social media, despite having shared them earlier with their millions of followers.
Kim said Harry and Meghan changed their minds and wanted the images “taken down” because they didn’t want to be seen “partying and dancing on the dance floor.”
“I think they realised it was Remembrance Day, and they didn’t want to be seen at a party, even though it’s already up, you know, and then taken down. And then I think they realised, like, 'oh, this was so silly',” she told her sister Khloe during their discussion of the 'photo-gate' saga on the Khloe in Wonderland podcast, as reported by US Today.
Kris Jenner had shared a photo of herself positioned between the Duke and Duchess at the event.
Kim posted three photos: one of her posing with Meghan while Harry chatted with another guest, another showing Meghan hugging Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, and a third of Meghan laughing with her hand on Kris’s shoulder as Harry looked on.
Source: Instagram
All pictures were soon deleted from both accounts without explanation.
There were reports in American media about a supposed photo consent form, but a source close to Kris denied this, stating that her guests were friends and family, and no such request was made.
There was additional controversy as images of the Sussexes attending the Baby2Baby charity gala earlier that day were not removed.
Kim noted a distinction between the two appearances: “That was fine, but maybe not partying and dancing on the dance floor or whatever. So we took them down to respect Remembrance Day.”
“It was really innocent, which is so crazy,” she added. “Mom and Meghan have been friends for some years now, and they have a really sweet relationship.”
Remembrance Day, commemorated on 11 November each year, honours military personnel who died in the line of duty. Prince Harry was spotted wearing a poppy en route to Jenner’s party.
Kris Jenner held her birthday celebration the night before the royals attended the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph in London. King Charles and other members of the royal family led the tributes at Whitehall to honour those who died in combat.
Reflecting on the backlash, Kim admitted the situation escalated unnecessarily.
“You got to laugh at the situation sometimes and just lighten it up. If everyone's taking it the wrong way, lean in,” she said, joking about turning the episode into a Skims campaign.
“We should do a full Skims campaign. Take the photo—I'll shoot you at mom's—post it, and delete it 30 minutes later. Then I’d say, ‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t have permission to post those photos for the campaign.’”
Still, Kim expressed her disappointment over the public reaction.
“If we just made it light and made it funny, I think it would have been received differently,” she said. “But I hated how that was received for everyone. That suckss. It was just made into something that was so crazy and ridiculous that just didn't have to be.”
Jenner wasn’t only seen with the royal couple. She also posed with Beyoncé and danced with Justin Bieber, sharing several behind-the-scenes photos from the celebration. One showed Bieber taking a courteous bow while dancing with Kris.
Outside of the royal moment, the sisters' podcast remained lighthearted, touching on family dinners, daily routines, and Malibu hangouts attended by Kylie Jenner and her boyfriend, Timothée Chalamet.
Kanye West, Kim's daughter, shows new look
Legit.ng earlier reported that North West, the first daughter of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, shared pictures of her new look in a post on her Instagram page.
The 12-year-old was seen with her friends, all sporting similar styles. In the post, she posed with two of her friends, who had artwork on their faces.
North West wore long, blue braids and blue contact lenses, along with a nose ring and black grillz, which many found odd on her.
Source: Legit.ng
