An image used in the upcoming Netflix documentary about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, apparently meant to show paparazzi swarming around the royal couple, is a stock photo from a “Harry Potter” movie premiere, The Sun reported Monday.
The black-and-white image, featured in the official teaser for the new “Harry & Meghan” series, shows dozens of paparazzi taking photos. The image cuts away to Harry in the teaser, who says, “I had to do everything I could to protect my family,” apparently implying he had to protect his family from the paparazzi.
The photo is reportedly a stock image of photographers at the London premiere of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two” in the city’s Trafalgar Square. The Sun photographer Doug Seeburg was apparently present at the event, which took place in July 2011, years before Harry and Meghan met, according to the outlet.
“I remember going to the premiere,” Seeburg told The Sun. “It was a huge event. Crowds and crowds of fans had turned out in the rain and camped overnight to see the actors. There were no members of the Royal Family there,” the photographer continued, according to the outlet.
Image of Harry and Meghan being stalked by paparazzi in new Netflix film really from ‘Harry Potter’ premiere https://t.co/aNPDxJMRen pic.twitter.com/kfRHGK3lnn
— New York Post (@nypost) December 5, 2022
Royal expert Ingrid Seward told the outlet that Netflix’s seeming carelessness in using the photo “weakens Harry’s comment about protecting his family.”
“This fake picture weakens his point,” Seward said, according to The Sun. (RELATED: ‘It’s A Dirty Game’: Prince Harry Slams Royals’ Treatment Of Meghan Markle In New Doc Trailer)
The image is the first search result for the word “paparazzi” on the popular stock photo site Alamy, The Sun reported.