Photos of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, taken at a swanky party with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, have mysteriously been removed from the Getty Images website, Page Six has learned.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined Sarandos, 61, and his wife Nicole Avant, 58, at their sprawling home in Montecito, Calif. last Friday for the “Beef” Season 2 Montecito Tastemaker event.
Markle, 44, who wore Heidi Merrick’s “Gale” $715 gown in chartreuse, and Harry, 41, looking dashing in a navy blue suit, posed with Sarandos and Avant for photos.
The Duchess was seen in pictures, previously published in online outlets including Page Six, laughing with Sarandos and hugging Avant, who is a close friend.
The photos were taken by a photographer who was on assignment for Getty, but sources told Page Six that Netflix asked the agency, which sells its images to media outlets, to remove the photos the morning after the event.
All that remains now on the Getty site is one photo of the Sussexes with Sarandos and Avant, and another where Markle can be seen in the crowd which included singer Katy Perry and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, alongside “Beef” stars Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan and Charles Melton.
Sources told us at least three pictures were removed because they were not great quality. That said, the photos are still visible in existing stories, including on Page Six.
We have reached out to Netflix and reps for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
It’s not the first time Markle and Harry — who are currently on a faux-royal tour of Australia — have become embroiled in a photo mystery.
The couple were pictured at Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday last November, only for their reps to ask for photos to be deleted from the Instagram accounts of both Jenner and her daughter, Kim Kardashian. At first, sources said the Sussexes had selected a “no photo” disclaimer for guests — only for Jenner insiders to deny there was ever such a thing.
“It was really innocent, which is so crazy,” Kim said on her sister Khloé Kardashian’s podcast, “Khloé In Wonder Land,” in January.
“Mom and Meghan have been friends for some years now, and they have a really sweet relationship,” Kim, 45, added.
Kim said she and Jenner went through photos from the star-studded 70th birthday bash to see which snaps they would post online.
“We were told that it was totally cool to post. And then after it was posted, I think they realized it was Remembrance Day, and they didn’t want to be seen at a party, even though it’s already up, you know, and then taken down,” Kim recalled of the Sussexes.
“And then I think they realized, like, ‘Oh, this was so silly,’” she added.
Kim said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex being photographed at the Baby2Baby Gala earlier that night may have been “fine,” but “maybe not partying and dancing on the dance floor or whatever.”
“So we took them down to respect Remembrance Day,” she said, referring to the holiday that honors armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.
The Sussexes are Montecito neighbors with Sarandos and his wife, who is the former US ambassador to the Bahamas, and we’re told they all remain friends despite the fact Markle’s lifestyle show, “With Love, Meghan,” won’t be back for a third season on Netflix and she parted ways with the streamer for her “As Ever” lifestyle range.
Last month, Variety reported that Sarandos joked that he would not take Markle’s phone calls without a lawyer present; this was roundly denied by Netflix and lawyers for the Sussexes.
Sources then told us that, while staffers at the streamer have become exasperated with Markle, Sarandos remains a champion.
“Honestly, there are people [within Netflix] who would rather not work with Meghan and Harry — they are fed up — but Ted always wants to give them one more chance,” said a well-placed industry insider.
Harry and Markle, who have a first look deal with Netflix, are currently producing a polo-centered drama series for Netflix through their company Archewell Productions.
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