Meet Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding photographer
Alexi Lubomirski, the photographer who snapped Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's engagement photos, will be back behind the lens for the wedding May 19. A mutual friend suggested Prince Harry and Meghan Markle check out Lubomirski's Instagram where the fashion photographer posts his work with some of world's most famous faces including Julia Roberts, Beyoncé and Angelina Jolie.
Lubomirski, who lives in New York City, was in London at the time, visiting his mother who was undergoing surgery. The operation was a success, and so was his hastily arranged meeting with the newly engaged couple.
"It was wonderful to get that instantaneous read on them. Because, you know, love is -- when you see young love or any -- any love when it [is] in its genesis stage, it's the most beautiful thing to see. And I'm a cheeseball, so I love that kind of stuff," Lubomirski told "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King before he was officially asked to document the nuptials.
Lubomirski sometimes works in the small South African nation of Botswana, where he was raised. The country is a favorite getaway for Prince Harry and the place he took Meghan on their first vacation together. And like Harry, the photographer is also a prince.
"My father is a Polish prince, and I was told about it when I was 11," Lubomirski said.
His mom confirmed the news, adding he had the title, but little else.
"She very quickly doused my flames of excitement by saying, 'Listen, there's no more -- there's no more land. There's no more palaces, castles, riches, arts, armies, whatever,'" Lubomirski said. "You just have the name. So very naively I said to her, 'Well, what's – what's the point of the title then?' And she said this phrase to me, which has stuck with my forever. And I always thank my mother for this. She said, 'If you want to be a prince in today's world, you have to be a prince in your heart and in your actions.'"
The actions of His Serene Highness -- yes, that's his actual title -- include working to improve the lives of the impoverished as an ambassador for the charity Concern Worldwide.
His dedication to philanthropy is shared by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, whom he first photographed at Windsor Castle for their official engagement photos. Lubomirski shared the story behind this shot:
"That was the last shot of the day," Lubomirski said. "You know, he had this big overcoat on. … And I said, 'Just -- just, you know, wrap her up.' And -- and then she turned around to him. And there was this beautiful moment. And they were just -- they were hugging and looking at each other and smiling."
"What were your impressions of them both?" King asked.
"Just lovely, young, normal people. You know, just--"
"Normal?"
"Yeah," Lubomirski said. "They're very welcoming. They're very gracious. … You feel listened to when they're talking to you. So really just good, good people."
Watch live coverage of the royal wedding Saturday, May 19 starting at 4 a.m. ET on CBS. "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King and "Entertainment Tonight" co-host Kevin Frazier will anchor the coverage from London.
