Royal Wedding Snapshot Secrets Revealed

After Kensington Palace released three official portraits from Saturday’s royal wedding, the famed photographer who took the shots is opening up about the tiny details that went into creating the photos that some are calling the most bold royal wedding portraits ever.

Alexi Lubomirski, who is a Polish prince, is the protege of the photographer Mario Testino who was famously beloved by Harry’s mother Princess Diana. Lubomirski, 42, said Meghan Markle and Harry were “exhausted” during the photo shoot.

Read on to learn more about some behind-the-scenes moments from the royal wedding photo shoot.

Harry and Meghan were ‘exhausted’

Lubomirski told the BBC that he had just over three minutes to shoot the “exhausted” couple, and that the shot of Markle entwined in her husband’s legs happened because she had “slumped” onto Harry.

“We went out there and had about three and a half minutes to take some quick shots because everything was running like clockwork,” he said. “It was just one of those magical moments when you’re a photographer and everything falls into place. I said ‘just before you go in, sit on those stairs.’ And she just slumped between his legs and there was this moment where they were just laughing because they were exhausted and thinking finally it’s all over. It was one of these beautiful moments.”

Capturing the group photo

As for the formal photo with the entire immediate Royal Family as well as Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, Lubomirski told the BBC that he “didn’t want it to feel like a sports team photo or any army photo, regimented and linear.”

“In terms of how were were placing people – we wanted some people sitting, some people standing, kids on parents laps and that was a huge thing to get that realness out of it,” he said.

Getting the page boys and bridesmaids to smile

Anyone with small children knows how difficult it can be to get one kid to smile for a photo, let alone six bridesmaids and four page boys. So how did Lubormirski do its? He bribed them with candy, simply asking, “Who likes Smarties?”

Royal reporter Omid Scobie tweeted that Lubomirski “says he got all the kids (and possibly even Harry and Meghan) to grin for their [royal wedding] portrait by calling out ‘Who likes Smarties?!’ as they had been getting them as treats throughout the day.”

But Smarties in the U.K. aren’t the sugary, chalky candies Americans know. Instead, they’re more like M&Ms — brightly colored circular treats with milk chocolate in the center.

“It has been an incredible honor and privilege to document the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s inspiring journey of love, hope and family; from the engagement photos, to the wedding portraits on Saturday,” Lubomirski said of the experience on Monday on Twitter. “Thank you to everyone at @kensingtonroyal and @theroyalfamily.”

Honoring Princess Diana

The photo with the page boys and bridesmaids also carries a deeper meaning, as the couch Harry sits on appears to be the same one Diana sat in while holding Harry during his christening photos in 1984, with the late princess surrounded by members of the royal family, including husband Prince Charles, who reclined on the arm of the couch next to her.

Honoring Princess Diana (continued)

The new Duke and Duchess of Sussex worked with florist Philippa Craddock to create the gorgeous floral display at their wedding in just one of the ways they honored Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, who famously loved white peonies and white garden roses, both of which were on full display alongside foxgloves at the wedding. Kensington Palace’s White Garden was even replanted in 2017 in her honor.

On Friday, Harry handpicked several forget-me-nots from his and Markle’s garden for the Duchess to include in her bouquet, which was also designed by Craddock.

“The couple specifically chose them to be included in Ms. Markle’s bouquet to honour the memory of the late Princess on this special day,” Kensington Palace shared, adding that the flower was Diana’s favorite.

Most memorable photo

Between the official portraits and candids snapped throughout the iconic day, it’s impossible to say which photo is the most popular, but one aerial shot of Markle and Harry is making quite a name for itself. The shot shows the Duke and Duchess from above as they ride in their carriage following the ceremony.

U.K.-based photographer Yui Mok snapped the sweet shot and explained on Twitter how he captured the moment.

“I was positioned on the roof of George IV Gateway of Windsor Castle, and they passed directly beneath me during their carriage procession,” Mok wrote on Twitter Saturday, adding in another tweet, “I had less than a one-second window to take that particular shot – whilst having to focus through a metal grill I was standing over –so was happy to get anything really!”