Why Buckingham Palace did NOT crop Meghan Markle out of photograph it used in social media post to mark Prince Harry's 40th birthday

Buckingham Palace did not crop Meghan Markle out of a photograph it used in a social media post to mark Prince Harry's 40th birthday, MailOnline understands.

Eyebrows were raised when it emerged the Duchess appeared to have been removed from the picture which was taken when the couple were working royals.

The image taken by photographer Jimmy Rainford on July 11, 2018 featured Harry during a visit to the Dogpatch Labs start-up in Dublin with Meghan next to him.

It was posted by King Charles and Queen Camilla's @RoyalFamily account on X yesterday, and said: 'Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!'

Prince William and Kate also then shared the post with the picture, adding their own message which read: 'Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!'

Some saw the post as a surprise given the ongoing tensions between the brothers, and the plot thickened when it was claimed Meghan had been cropped out.

But image archives have since revealed two versions of the photo were issued at the time in 2018 – one with Harry, Meghan and four other people in a discussion; and another just with Harry.

Harry appears in exactly the same pose in both photos, suggesting he was cropped out into a single image by the original photographer at the time.

And now, MailOnline understands the photo was provided to Buckingham Palace in this unedited format by the Press Association – and was then published without cropping.

Harry, who lives in California after stepping down from the working monarchy, spent his birthday yesterday with Meghan and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. 

He is then said to be heading away for a gathering with close friends.

Harry also celebrated his birthday weekend by attending a charity tennis tournament on Saturday in honour of one of Meghan's closest friends.

The Duke and Duchess appeared at the George Zajfen Tennis Tournament in Los Angeles in honour of Kelly McKee Zajfen's late son George.

The event for the Alliance for Children's Rights was in remembrance of George, who died aged just nine in July 2022 after being found unresponsive in their family home.

Meghan is known to be good friends with Zajfen, co-founder of the alliance which supports pregnant and parenting teenagers in the foster care system.

In an Instagram post yesterday, the day of Harry's birthday, model Zajfen and her family thanked the Sussexes for their support at the competition on Saturday.

Alongside five photos, they wrote at the end of a long message: 'Extra special day too…HAPPY 40th Birthday H! May this trip around the sun be the best yet.'

Harry enters his fifth decade in what has been a rollercoaster year for the royal family, with both the King and the Princess of Wales being diagnosed with cancer.

When the King's shock health news was announced in February, Harry made a transatlantic dash to see him but his meeting with his father was kept to just 45 minutes.

In comments released to the BBC, the duke said 'I was anxious about 30, I'm excited about 40', and described how fatherhood had given him a renewed sense of purpose to make 'this world a better place'.

Harry's year has seen him try his hand at the skeleton bobsled when he joined Invictus Games competitors training in Canada, and undertake quasi-royal tours to Colombia and Nigeria.

In Colombia, Meghan addressed a panel on Afro-Descendant Women and Power and told how her three-year-old daughter Lili had 'absolutely found her voice'.

The couple also relaunched their Archewell website, rebranding it as Sussex.com under the title The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Harry travelled to London in May to celebrate a decade of his Invictus Games and attended a service at St Paul's Cathedral, but did not meet his brother or father.

Birmingham has won the bid to host the sporting competition in 2027, with the duke congratulating the city on its success and looking set to attend the games in the UK in three years' time.

In July, Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, awarded by sports channel ESPN to individuals in the sporting world, for using his platform to 'change the world'.

But Tillman's mother Mary reportedly expressed her shock that the honour was given to 'such a controversial and divisive individual'.

In his speech, Harry praised Mrs Tillman, saying: 'Her advocacy for Pat's legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect. The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.'

Meanwhile, The Sunday Times reported that his legal battle with the Home Office over his security while in the UK had 'frustrated' the King.

Harry lost a High Court challenge against the Home Office in February over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK, but he has been given the green light to appeal.

During the case, the court was told Harry believes his children cannot 'feel at home' in the UK if it is 'not possible to keep them safe' there and that he faces a greater risk than his late mother, with 'additional layers of racism and extremism'.

Elsewhere, Meghan started a new venture with the soft launch of her brand American Riviera Orchard when she sent limited edition strawberry jam to her friends - although the business has faced setbacks with its attempts at trademarking.

Harry's new Netflix documentary series about the world of polo is set to air in December.

There was a brief return to the UK for the duke in August for the funeral of his uncle Lord Fellowes, when he stayed at Althorp, the ancestral home of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

He reportedly had no interaction with William at the church service.

The duke has an upcoming trip to New York later this month, where he will carry out visits for his Archewell Foundation, and engagements with African Parks, The Halo Trust, The Diana Award, and Travalyst.