Photos released to mark King Charles’ 70th birthday carry a deeper emotional weight, as many have now come to recognize a heartbreaking truth behind them.

It’s rare to see the senior members of the royal family all together in a posed portrait.

In fact, the composition of the so-called “senior royals” has shifted significantly over the last decade, particularly following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s decision to step back from royal duties over five years ago.

Back in January 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced they would be stepping away from their roles and relocating to the US to raise their family.

At the time, the late Queen Elizabeth II supported the move, saying there would be “a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK.”

In her statement, the Queen acknowledged the complexity of the situation: “These are complex matters for my family to resolve, and there is some more work to be done, but I have asked for final decisions to be reached in the coming days.”

Now, five years later, Harry and Meghan have only returned to the UK occasionally, and the rift between them and the rest of the royal family appears unresolved.