Alexi Lubomirski: The Man Behind the Lens
Meet Alexi Lubomirski, the creative genius who captured the unforgettable moments from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding day. Alexi, a former Polish prince turned world-renowned photographer, has shared the heartwarming backstory behind the iconic black-and-white photo of the newlyweds on the East Terrace steps at Windsor Castle. This image, taken in the golden hour of the day, perfectly encapsulates the couple’s joy and love.
The Magic Behind the Scenes
Alexi opened up to the BBC about the challenges and triumphs of shooting this once-in-a-lifetime event. With just three and a half minutes to work before the couple had to return to their wedding reception, Alexi had to think fast. “We went out there and had about three and a half minutes to take some quick shots because everything was running like clockwork,” he said. The sun was setting beautifully behind Windsor Castle, creating a serene and romantic atmosphere that made the moment even more magical.
“It was one of those rare times as a photographer where everything just falls into place. I said, ‘Just before you go in, sit on those stairs,’” Alexi recalled. That simple direction led to one of the most candid and heartfelt moments captured that day. The couple, exhausted from the whirlwind of emotions, laughed and relaxed together, creating a moment that Alexi knew instantly was special.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wuV-agbb1k
A Moment of Pure Joy
“Meghan just slumped in between his legs, and there was this moment where they were just laughing because they were joking about how they were exhausted and finally it's all over. They just looked at each other and they were just laughing, and it was this just beautiful moment, and, when you are taking the pictures, you know you have something,” Alexi explained. The connection between the couple was undeniable, and it shone through in every shot.
View this post on InstagramThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex would like to thank everyone who took part in the celebrations of their wedding on Saturday. They feel so lucky to have been able to share their day with all those gathered in Windsor and also all those who watched the wedding on television across the UK, Commonwealth, and around the world #RoyalWedding
The Group Shots: A Family Affair
Alexi didn’t want the group photos to feel like a stiff, formal portrait. Instead, he aimed for something more dynamic and lively. “I didn't want it to feel like a sports team photo or an army photo, regimented and linear. So we talked about how we could break it and get some rhythm and asymmetry into it and it all came down to very little tiny things — nothing crazy. In terms of how we were placing people, we wanted some people sitting, some people standing, kids on parents' laps and that was a huge thing to get that realness out of it,” Alexi shared.
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The Secret to Capturing the Kids
One of the most challenging aspects of the shoot was getting the ten page boys and flower girls to cooperate. Alexi revealed his secret weapon: Smarties. “They were being bribed with one Smartie here, one Smartie there, so as soon as the kids came onto the set, I immediately just shouted out ‘Who likes Smarties?’ and then everybody, hands up, smiles, even some adults put their hands up,” he confessed. “And so that was our magic word of the day, so thank you, Smarties.”
View this post on InstagramThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex have released three official photographs from their Wedding day. This photograph was taken by photographer @alexilubomirski in The Green Drawing Room of Windsor Castle, following the carriage procession #RoyalWedding
A Day to Remember
For Alexi, the wedding was a whirlwind of activity, but despite the challenges of shooting six setups in just 25 minutes, the atmosphere was filled with joy. “There were lots of smiles. It was like a family room after a wedding, you know some parents were trying to wrangle the children, other uncles and aunts were talking to their nephews and nieces. It was a family, that was essentially what it is,” he said. Alexi was brought on board after being recommended by one of Meghan’s friends on Instagram following the couple’s engagement announcement.
View this post on InstagramPrince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have chosen to release this official portrait photograph to mark their engagement. The photograph was taken by photographer @alexilubomirski earlier this week at Frogmore House, Windsor.
“It was nutty. It was a very surreal end to the year because it came out of nowhere,” he told E! News. “I think one of Meghan's friends saw me on Instagram, that I was in England during the announcement of the engagement, and I was told later that this person said to her, ‘You should meet Alexi. He's great. You'd love him,’ and that was it.”
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This post was written by Bella Brennan. It originally appeared on our sister site, Now to Love.
