Harry and Meghan: the official photos

On the shortest day of the year, we need something to cheer us up and everyone's favourite royal lovebirds have just the answer. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have released their official engagement photos and put just a little bit of sparkle into the greyest day of the year. 

There are two portraits and they are every bit as modern as you would expect from this pair. The couple were snapped at Frogmore House, Windsor - well, they did say they loved the place when they announced their wedding would be at St. George's Chapel. And the man behind the lens is Alexi Lubomirski.

Prince 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.

A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on Dec 21, 2017 at 3:59am PST

The couple were photographed earlier this week and the images have been released less than 24 hours after Meghan accompanied her fiance to the Royal Family's annual Christmas lunch for the very first time. Not long after the first two pictures were released, we got a third treat as the couple shared what they called a candid snap because they wanted to say thank you for all the warm wishes they'd received. 

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful comments following the release of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle's engagement photographs. The couple are so grateful for the warm and generous messages they have received during such a happy time in their lives. As a way to say thank you, they have decided to share this candid photograph from the day of their portrait sittings directly with all of you.

A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on Dec 21, 2017 at 6:00am PST

The man behind the lens is actually titled His Serene Highness Prince Alexi Lubomirski and has written a book called Princely Advice for a Happy Life  with proceeds going to the charity Concern Worldwide. His career began as an assistant to Mario Testino, one of Diana's favourite photographers who also snapped William and Kate for their engagement portraits, and since then he's taken pictures of some of the most famous people in the world including Beyonce, Julia Roberts and Charlize Theron.

Prince 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.

A post shared by Kensington Palace (@kensingtonroyal) on Dec 21, 2017 at 3:59am PST

But these portraits of Meghan and Harry are most likely his most well known works now. On his own Instagram page, he said a ''huge thank you'' to the couple for letting him take the photos, adding it was ''an immense privilege to be invited to share and be a witness to this young couple's love for each other''. He finishes by saying he ''cannot help but smile'' at the photos. And now we've got the early Christmas present of seeing them as well, that goes for quite a lot of other people, too.

Photos: Alexi Lubomirski/ Kensington Palace Instagram.