Why a missing royal photo pushed Harry, Meghan to step back from royal duties?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's move to step away from the royal duties came after being excluded from a major family moment during Queen Elizabeth II's Christmas speech in 2019.

As per a recent report by Radaronline.com, the action was the "final straw" before Harry and Meghan left the royal palace.

During the 2019 Christmas, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent the holidays with Meghan's mom Doria Ragland. At the time Harry and Meghan's firstborn, Prince Archie, was seven months old.

According to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, who wrote the biography Finding Freedom, wrote in the book that Harry and Meghan were upset over not placing their and their son's photograph on the Queen's table among the pictures of Prince William, Kate Middleton and their kids during her Christmas broadcast.

"One didn't have to look further than the family photos displayed during the Queen's Speech on Christmas Day," they wrote.

"In the Green Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace, where the Queen delivered her address, viewers glimpsed photos of the (Waleses) and their children, Charles and Camilla, Prince Philip, and a black-and-white image of George VI. Noticeably absent was a photo of Harry, Meghan, and their new baby, Archie."

A royal claimed, "That Christmas became a defining moment in how they viewed their role within the family."

"The Queen was following tradition and emphasizing the line of succession. She had no intention of excluding anyone, but Harry and Meghan interpreted it differently," the source added.

Due to the omission, "Harry and Meghan had been feeling increasingly sidelined within the Firm at the time. But the missing photograph made their long-standing frustrations painfully obvious," another palace insider noted.

It is pertinent to mention that Meghan and Harry said goodbye to their role as senior royals back in 2020 and moved to North America with their kids.