While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wrapped up their final royal duties, a plethora of photographs of the two had emerged on the internet.
One that became fairly popular amongst the public looked nothing short of a well-directed, otherworldly glimpse from a high-budget film. The photograph showed the former royal pair lost in each other’s eyes and beaming with delight underneath an umbrella while raindrops falling around them added just the perfect amount of fairy-tale touch to the setting.
While the picture swept hearts all over the globe, the public remained unaware of the maestro behind the lens, Samir Hussein, who has been covering the British royal family for 12 years, working for Getty Images.
Speaking to Vogue about the widely-loved iconic shot of the Sussex pair, the award-winning photographer said: “It was pouring down with rain, which can be very tricky when shooting flash photography.”
“[It] also meant Harry and Meghan would be under an umbrella, which usually means it’s hard to get clean photos of the couple.”
“Little did I know these elements would come together so spectacularly to produce a timeless image,” he added.
He had earlier spoken to the Sussexes’ press officer and had found that they would be dropped off 30 feet away from the Mansion House entrance. This gave him a head start to position himself in the best possible place.
“As they walked toward me, I noticed a flash going off from a camera in the crowd behind them. I knew that if that light could be lined up to be right behind as they walked, then it could create a dramatic photo, acting like a backlight in a studio shot,” he said.
“I managed to maneuver myself to line up the flash behind them and then had to work quickly, with just a second or two to get the shot as they smiled wonderfully at each other,” he added.
“It’s a one in a million, when all the elements you could wish for as a photographer come together—perfect timing, great lighting, strong symbolism, and amazing subjects,” he said further.