Meghan posing with fashion friends for a candid snap. Photo / Instagram
Meghan posing with fashion friends for a candid snap. Photo / Instagram
A candid photo booth shot of Meghan Markle at the British Fashion Awards has mysteriously disappeared from social media just hours after it was posted.
After presenting on stage, an Instagram post of the Duchess of Sussex emerged online showing the 37-year-old posing in a boomerang-style photo booth shot.
Cradling her bump for the shot, Meghan poses alongside her wedding dress designer, Givenchy director Clare Waight Keller, and actor Rosamund Pike.
According to Vanity Fair, the post was deleted from the British Fashion Council's Instagram account just hours after it was posted, while similar photo booth shots of other celebrities remained up.
For now, the shot remains on the event photographer Yvan Fabing's Instagram account and it has been shared on countless Meghan fan accounts.
A photo of Meghan at the awards posted by her best friend and stylist Jessica Mulroney was also deleted.
Mulroney had shared a shot of Meghan on stage to her Instagram Story alongside the caption: "My angel. Beauty, grace and strength personified."
Meghan presents the award for British Designer of the Year Womenswear Award to Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. Photo / Getty Images
It's likely that the reason for both posts' sudden disappearance has something to do with the strict rules surrounding the royal family's public appearances.
Outside of official photos for events like weddings, it's unusual for members of the royal family to pose for pictures.
Before marrying Harry Meghan, an avid social media user, deleted both her Twitter and Instagram accounts, with only 'minor' royals such as Princess Eugenie permitted to have a public Instagram page.
Posing in a photo booth wasn't the only surprising thing Meghan did at the awards gala on Monday night.
Appearing on stage in a Givenchy black velvet gown, the Duchess of Sussex also wore dark coloured nail polish — a look that is said to be personally disliked by the queen.
Meghan made her appearance to present Waight Keller with the British Womenswear Designer of the Year award.
In her speech Meghan heaped praise on the designer, telling the audience: "As all of you in this room know, we have a deep connection to what we wear.
The Duchess of Sussex wore dark nail polish for the event which broke royal protocol. Photo / Getty Images
"Sometimes it's very personal, sometimes it's emotional. But for me this connection is rooted in, really, being able to understand that it's about supporting and empowering each other, especially as women."
Accepting the award, Waight Keller personally thanked the Duchess of Sussex, describing her as "amazing".
"This woman is so amazing. I got to know Meghan on such a personal level. To have someone like that trust you on such a personal moment in their life … I can't thank you enough because it was the most beautiful moment." she said.
