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.

Kris Jenner’s party took place on Saturday, November 8 — just days before Remembrance Sunday on November 9 and Remembrance Day on November 11, a solemn period in the UK honouring fallen service members.

“After it was posted, I think they realised it was Remembrance Day, and they didn’t want to be seen at a party,” Kim said. “Even though it’s already up, you know, and then taken down. And then I think they realised, like, oh, this was so silly.”

Khloe also noted that Harry and Meghan had attended the Baby2Baby Gala immediately before the birthday party.

“Well, it’s like a charity event,” Kim explained. “So, like, that was fine, but maybe not partying and dancing on the dance floor or whatever. So we took them down to respect Remembrance Day.”

‘It Didn’t Have to Become So Crazy’

Kim suggested the situation spiralled unnecessarily and could have been handled with humour rather than tension.

“Like, you got to laugh at, like, the situation sometimes and just, like, lighten it up,” she said. “And be if everyone’s taking it the wrong way, like, lean in.”

She even joked that Meghan could have leaned fully into the moment by doing a playful Skims campaign.

“I was like, ‘We should do a full Skims campaign,’” Kim said. “Take the photo — even just us, like, I’ll shoot you and mom, you know, post it and then delete it, like, 30 minutes later. And then say, ‘Oh, sorry, I didn’t have permission to post those photos for the campaign.’”

“You should do that,” Khloe replied.

“That’s what I was like — that would have hit, so funny,” Kim added.

“If we just made it light and made it funny, you know, I think it would have been, like, received differently, but I hated how that was received for everyone. That sucks.

“It was just made into something that was so crazy and ridiculous that just didn’t have to be.”

Professional Fallout for the Sussexes

The aftermath of ‘photogate’ may have extended beyond social awkwardness. According to royal journalist Tom Sykes, the controversy reportedly contributed to internal fallout within the Sussexes’ team.

Writing in his Substack, The Royalist, Sykes claimed the situation raised serious concerns for the couple’s former chief publicist, Meredith Maines.

Maines reportedly “believes she was misled on the facts about the phantom consent forms,” Sykes wrote, adding that Kardashian sources had denied to The Royalist that any such forms ever existed.

The controversy is said to have “contributed to her decision to leave the role after less than a year.”