Prince Harry (who is 37 years old today) and his wife, Meghan Markle, have broken royal tradition and posed for their first magazine cover together as a couple. In the striking image, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stand side by side for TIME (as part of their TIME 100 list), in what has been deemed a celebration of them as "equal partners".
The bold cover is a break from traditional royal norms, as whilst other members of the Royal Family have appeared on the front of various publications solo (case in point: Kate Middleton's, the Duchess of Cambridge, now iconic Vogue spread), none – at least not in recent years – have taken on a leading profile slot as a twosome.
Accompanying the new images of the couple is a write up by José Andrés which praises the Sussexes for using their platform, power and privilege to create real change in the world, notably through their charitable organisation, Archewell.
The images, which were taken by leading photographer Pari Dukovic, show the couple in a variety of settings and outfits, with the cover slot featuring a garden backdrop.
Dukovic has shared three shots on Instagram, writing, "This portrait sitting marks the first time the world-famous couple has formally posed together for a magazine cover shoot."
In another picture, Meghan and Harry can be seen looking blissfully happy whilst holding hands and strolling through a garden together. It's not clear where the outdoor spot is located, but it could well be the same area that they shot their pregnancy announcement photos when letting the world know they were preparing to welcome a second child, Lilibet Diana, into the world:
Finally, Dukovic posted an portrait of the pair inside (potentially in their Montecito home), stood in front of a window, with the same trees outside still visible:
Trees appear to be somewhat symbolic to the couple, as during her recent 40th birthday video, Meghan Markle was asked by comic actor Melissa McCarthy whether she'll be celebrating with "another photoshoot under a tree where you're looking very peaceful?"
To this, Meghan then, seemingly giving an insight into her new life in California, replies, "Peaceful under a tree is me every day."
The Duke and Duchess were tended to by some of Hollywood's most elite during the photoshoot for TIME, with make-up artist Linda Hay (who took care of the likes of Emily Ratajkowski for the recent Met Gala) and Kirsten Dunst's go-to stylists 'Nina & Clare' on hand.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
