The saga resurfaced this week after Kim and Khloe Kardashian openly challenged claims made by Harry and Meghan’s camp, disputing the narrative around why photos of the couple briefly appeared — and then disappeared — from social media.
What Sparked the Drama
Kim and Khloe addressed the situation on Khloe’s podcast, Khloe in Wonderland, more than three months after images of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex vanished from Instagram following Kris Jenner’s extravagant 70th birthday celebration.
The party, hosted at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos’ Beverly Hills estate, took place in early November and drew a star-studded guest list. Photos shared by Kim and Khloe showed Harry and Meghan mingling, dancing, and socialising with fellow A-listers.
Within hours, however, the images were quietly deleted — fuelling speculation and controversy.
Sussex Camp’s Explanation Questioned
At the time, sources close to the Sussexes claimed the photos were removed because Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, had declined permission for any images taken inside the event to be shared online. According to those claims, the couple allegedly checked “no” on a photo consent form upon arrival.
But speaking candidly on the podcast, Kim, 45, and Khloe, 41, said that explanation was simply not true.
“Meghan. Markle,” Khloe began, before Kim responded with a sigh: “Ugh. The photogate.”
“It was really innocent, which is so crazy,” Kim said.
“Mom and Meghan have been friends for some years now. And they have a really sweet relationship.
“We took a photo. And then I think we were all going through them. We’re all communicating about what we’re going to post — we’re never ones to post without permission… Like it’s not who we are.”
Khloe agreed, adding: “We’re very respectful.”
Why the Photos Were Really Taken Down
Kim explained that photos were taken throughout the night, but only lighthearted, tasteful images were selected for posting.
“We were posting just, like, fun photos,” she said, which Khloe clarified were “dignified photos.”
“And so we were totally, you know — we were told that it was totally cool to post,” Kim added.
According to Kim, the issue only arose after the images had already gone live, when concerns were raised about timing rather than consent.