The King and the Princess of Wales have been pictured together for the first time since being named in a book as the senior royals who allegedly questioned what skin colour Prince Archie would have.
The Dutch edition of Omid Scobie’s book Endgame claimed they raised “concerns” during family discussions about how dark the skin of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s son might be before he was born.
Many national newspapers followed the lead of broadcaster Piers Morgan, who named the two royal figures on his TalkTV show last week.
Buckingham Palace is considering whether it should take action over the publication. When the unsubstantiated allegation first surfaced two years ago, the palace described it as fiction.
The new pictures – which many will see as a show of unity – were taken as the Royal Family welcomed ambassadors, high commissioners and other diplomats to Buckingham Palace.
The white-tie event is held every year and sees more than 500 members of the Diplomatic Corps hosted in the palace’s state rooms.
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The Queen wore the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara, while Kate dazzled in the Lover’s Knot Tiara – a diamond and pearl-encrusted headpiece made in 1914, which was often worn by Diana, Princess of Wales.
It was given to Diana by the late Queen as a wedding gift in 1981.
The diplomatic reception is usually held every December, but there was a pause in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID pandemic.