“Harry and Meghan’s photo-gate leaves Kardashian clan ‘upset’: Sussexes demanded not to be pictured inside Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday party before mystery deletion.”
The latest social-media storm to swirl around Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has been dubbed “photo-gate,” after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly asked Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner to delete photos of them taken at Jenner’s lavish 70th birthday celebration in Beverly Hills. The move, which insiders say left members of the Kardashian clan “baffled and upset,” has sparked a fresh debate about the couple’s relationship with fame, privacy, and their carefully controlled public image.
Kris Jenner’s milestone birthday, hosted by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez at their Los Angeles mansion, was one of the most star-studded events of the season. The black-tie, James Bond-themed bash drew a who’s-who of Hollywood, from Oprah Winfrey and Katy Perry to Kim Kardashian and Hailey Bieber. Among the A-list guests were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who have increasingly been seen at major celebrity gatherings after settling in California.
According to reports from Page Six, People, and Cosmopolitan, the couple had made it clear in advance that they did not consent to any interior photos being shared publicly. Guests at the party reportedly filled out media waivers and consent forms, a standard practice for high-profile events, and the Sussexes specifically opted out of having their images posted online. However, when Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner shared glamorous party snapshots on Instagram the following morning, fans noticed Harry and Meghan appearing in the background of several shots.
Within hours, the photos were quietly deleted from both women’s feeds, replaced with versions that omitted the royal pair. The sudden disappearance fueled speculation, and sources soon confirmed that representatives for the Sussexes had requested the images be removed. “They were polite but firm,” one insider told Page Six. “Nothing goes online without their approval.”
Sources close to the Kardashians described the request as confusing and “a bit rude,” given that the couple had willingly attended such a high-profile gathering. Kim Kardashian, according to one report, was “pissed” that the photos had to be pulled after she had already shared them with her 365 million followers.
Insiders say the deletion may also have been linked to timing: the party took place just before the U.K.’s Remembrance Day, when Prince Harry, a military veteran, was due to appear at solemn commemorative events. Photos showing him partying—while wearing a remembrance poppy on his tuxedo—might have seemed tone-deaf to royal watchers back home.
While the Kardashian-Jenner camp reportedly felt blindsided, observers note that the Sussexes have spent the past several years trying to balance their desire for privacy with their participation in celebrity culture. “It’s a clash of brands,” one Hollywood insider told The Daily Beast. “The Kardashians live by the rule that if it isn’t posted, it didn’t happen. Harry and Meghan live by the rule that nothing gets posted without control.”
The mini-scandal highlights just how delicate the Sussexes’ image management remains as they navigate life beyond the British monarchy—and how even one Instagram post can reignite global scrutiny.
