Photographer Behind The Iconic Photo Of Prince Harry And Meghan Markle In The Rain Talks About How He Got The Shot

Mar 29, 2020

Samir Hussein is the photographer who took the iconic photo of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the rain. He explains how he got the shot that was captured earlier this month.

Harry and Meghan Markle have stepped down as senior royals. During their last week of appearances as members of the working royal family, hordes of photographers camped at their location to take photos of the couple. Thousands of pictures were taken, but one stood out in particular.

Samir Hussein managed to capture the perfect moment Harry and Meghan smiled at each other while sharing an umbrella in the rain. Like something out of a romcom, the Sussexes had their gazes locked to one another's as they looked completely unbothered by the weather and the beams of camera flashes. Harry held the umbrella while Meghan held Harry's arm. The raindrops which looked like tiny crystals falling made for the perfect backdrop.

Samir Hussein is an award-winning photographer for Getty Images who has covered the British royal family for more than 12 years. In a statement sent to Vogue, Samir shared how he captured this priceless moment.

When he first arrived at the scene, he thought it wouldn't go well because of the wet weather. “It was pouring down with rain, which can be very tricky when shooting flash photography,” he says. “[It] also meant Harry and Meghan would be under an umbrella, which usually means it’s hard to get clean photos of the couple.” These, of course, had turned out for good. “Little did I know these elements would come together so spectacularly to produce a timeless image.”

Samir was told by the Sussexes' PR representative that the couple would be dropped off about 30 feet from the entrance of Mansion House where the event was being held. With that information, he settled into position.

“As they walked toward me, I noticed a flash going off from a camera in the crowd behind them,” Hussein recalls. “I knew that if that light could be lined up to be right behind as they walked, then it could create a dramatic photo, acting [as] a backlight in a studio shot. I managed to maneuver myself to line up the flash behind them and then had to work quickly, with just a second or two to get the shot as they smiled wonderfully at each other.”

At that point in time, he wasn't expecting much from all of his shots, what with the rain and all the other flashes. He was pleasantly surprised when he downloaded the files on his laptop and saw the amazing photo that he didn't expect to capture at all.

“It’s a one in a million, when all the elements you could wish for as a photographer come together—perfect timing, great lighting, strong symbolism, and amazing subjects,” he says.

This is easily the best photo taken of any of the royal family members. Pass this story along to your friends and family, especially if they are budding photographers.