Drugged and tied up … what Prince Harry did not tell you about these pictures of wild animals taken in Malawi

Judging by his spectacular photographs of African wildlife, the Duke of Susbad is a natural behind the lens.

Although the camera never lies, the images of a rhino, an elephant and a lion by Harry do not tell the whole story.

Anyone looking at them quickly would have the impression that capturing images of these powerful creatures so closely would have required an exciting pursuit – possibly putting life at risk – through the pot.

But the reality is that the three animals were stunned by a tranquilizer before the prince pressed the trigger.

The elephant was also attached – but because of the way the photo was changed, Harry's Instagram followers could not see the rope around his hind legs.

Here is the photograph of the elephant taken in Malawi that seemed to mark Earth Day on Prince Harry's official Instagram page.

It's the same picture taken from another angle, which shows that the elephant was attached, as well as tranquilized.

The Duke posted the images to mark Earth Day – the annual event of environmental protection – accompanied by a legend in which he preached for the safeguard of the planet.

However, he notably avoided explaining the circumstances in which the images were taken: the tranquilized animals were in different comatose states when they were displaced as part of conservation projects.

The photo of the elephant was taken in Malawi when a flock was transferred to a "safe park". Field guide Frank Weitzer also took pictures that day.

"We were in a floodplain and it was around the end of July 2016. I have a series of images – from a different angle – illustrating the fall of the elephant to the ground later . "

TRANQUILIZED: The rhinoceros taken by Prince Harry during a trip to Botswana

This close-up image of a lion's eye was published in the same Susbad Royal Instagram album as the others

On October 17, 2015, Prince Harry takes a picture of Prince Seeiso (wearing fancy glbades) with the help of a Fuji Instax camera during a photo activity at the new Children's Center of Mamohato

Prince Harry is seen at Westminster Abbey on April 25th

Map Ives, Botswana's national rhinoceros coordinator, told the Mail on Sunday that the rhino photo was also taken in 2016 – although he does not remember the prince who had taken it.

"When a rhino is so tranquilized, there is a lot to do and I would be busy with a lot of chores," he said.

We do not know where the close-up image of Harry with a lion's eye was taken, but he posted it in the same Instagram album as the others. When they were shown the pictures, Christiaan Kotze, one of the best photographers of wildlife, was not impressed.

He said that he [Harry] is on the front line and has access that very few people, including professional photographers, would dream of having.

If these are really his best pictures, he did not take full advantage of the opportunity. "

A spokesman for the duke refused to discuss the photos, although sources denied that the rope was deliberately removed from the elephant's photo, claiming instead that "it was due to Instagram's format".