Did TIME100 cover show Meghan in charge of Harry? Critics slam heavily airbrushed pic
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been dominated world headlines for more than a year now. Ever since their much-publicized exit from the royal family, followed by their explosive tell-all interview with Oprah, the royal couple has been under constant media limelight. Thus, it perhaps did not come as a surprise when they were named among the latest TIME 100 World's Most Influential People. In fact, the pair even got featured on the cover story of the magazine's special issue which was unveiled on Harry's 37th birthday.
The list also featured top celebrities and influential personalities like Naomi Osaka, Dolly Parton, Britney Spears, Simone Biles, Kamala Harris, and Alexei Navalny. Chef José Andrés, known to be a close friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wrote a profile on them where he highlighted, "In a world where everyone has an opinion about people they don't know, the duke and duchess have compassion for the people they don't know." While their admirers have showered nothing but love and support for the couple, critics have vehemently slammed their 'heavily airbrushed' cover photo as well as the pose.
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Putting aside their differences, the royal family wished Harry on his birthday by sharing a selection of his photos through the years. However, there has not yet been any congratulatory message on Harry and Meghan's TIME 100 achievement.
According to DailyMail UK, the British tabloid best known for their former editor and Meghan critic Piers Morgan, the 'glossy', 'airbrushed' and 'awkward' photos of the couple was "accompanied by a profile, branded sycophantic by critics." The report further added that the cover photo reflected the awry power dynamics between the two, clearly indicating that Meghan was in charge. The photo showed Harry standing behind Meghan with his arms on her right shoulder.
"Wow, this photo speaks volumes. There is no hiding who's in control," a critic responded, while another added, "This photo looks photoshopped. Also, the way they are positioned is very revealing: it's the Meghan show and Harry is just the supporting actor." A celebrity photographer claimed it showed a "terrible retouching job", while another critic slammed, "Harry looks completely awkward peering behind his wife like this."
In his profile about Meghan and Harry, chef Andres writes, "They turn compassion into boots on the ground through their Archewell Foundation. They give voice to the voiceless through media production. Hand in hand with nonprofit partners, they take risks to help communities in need—offering mental-health support to Black women and girls in the U.S., and feeding those affected by natural disasters in India and the Caribbean...They don't just opine. They run toward the struggle." Rather curiously, the column completely leaves out any mention of their couple's rift with the British royal family.
On the other hand, Harry and Meghan have also jointed contributed a column about Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, an activist and prominent vaccine campaigner.
