Harry and Meghan documentary: Paparazzi photo in trailer taken at Harry Potter premiere years before couple met

A photograph in a trailer for Harry and Meghan’s docuseries, apparently to illustrate paparazzi hounding the couple, was actually taken at a Harry Potter premiere and is not connected to the Royal Family, Sky News can confirm.

The image features in the first of two trailers released by Netflix to promote the upcoming Harry And Meghan series, which is released on Thursday.

In the clip, which features several photos of the couple looking happy and relaxed, the Duke of Sussex says that “no one sees what’s happening behind closed doors”.

After the paparazzi image is shown, he says: “I had to do everything I could to protect my family.”

The photograph, featured in the trailer in black and white, shows a big group of photographers holding up long lenses, looking eager to get a shot.

After questions were raised about where and when the image was taken, Sky News analysed the photograph and confirmed it was captured at the premiere of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part Two in July 2011 – attended by stars including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, and author JK Rowling.

Harry and Meghan did not meet until five years later, in 2016.

A comparison of the paparazzi photo below with the image underneath, taken from a video feed of the Harry Potter premiere, shows the same photographer and a towel in both shots, among other matches.

The Harry Potter premiere photo is available on Alamy, an image website, and is the first to come up under the search term “paparazzi”.

Doug Seeburg, a photographer for The Sun, is in the shot.

Speaking to the newspaper, he said: “I remember going to the premiere. 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.”

He added: “In the Netflix trailer it’s implied the photographers, including me, were trying to get a shot of the royal couple – but that’s nonsense.”

Sky News has contacted representatives for both Netflix and the Sussexes for comment about the photograph.

Read more:
Harry and Meghan first-look trailer in 11 snaps

In a second trailer for Harry & Meghan, the duke speaks of the “pain and suffering” of women marrying into the Royal Family and says that only he and his wife know “the full truth” about their story.

Netflix has promised the series will provide an “unprecedented and in-depth” look into the couple, who will “share the other side of their high-profile love story” over six episodes.

The first volume of the series will launch on Thursday, with the second volume to be released on 15 December, the same date as a Christmas carol service hosted by the Princess of Wales.