{"id":460276,"date":"2026-06-04T08:08:29","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T08:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/460276\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T08:08:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T08:08:29","slug":"chris-jackson-interview-royal-photographer-on-the-nuances-of-working-with-the-british-royal-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/460276\/","title":{"rendered":"Chris Jackson interview: Royal photographer on the nuances of working with the British royal family"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the quarter-century he\u2019s been photographing the royal family, Chris Jackson has never experienced a period of turbulence and challenge like the one since King Charles III\u2019s coronation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty unbelievable that it all happened at the same time,\u201d Jackson, 46, tells nine.com.au<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Getty Images royal photographer Chris Jackson has access to the royal family like no other.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

He\u2019s referring to the cancer diagnoses of the monarch and the Princess of Wales<\/a>, which were announced to the public within weeks of each other in early 2024. The Princess Royal, too, was hospitalised for concussion<\/a> after an incident with a horse, which she has no memory of.<\/p>\n

The serious health battles came barely a year into the new King\u2019s reign, which has been one of huge change for the monarchy.<\/p>\n

In the four years since Charles III\u2019s accession<\/a>, the 1000-year old institution has been modernised. Some traditions have been scrapped for a more informal approach, there\u2019s been greater transparency around royal finances<\/a>, and the King\u2019s scandal-plagued younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor<\/a> has finally been dealt with<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Jackson admits it has been a \u201cdifficult, challenging time for the royal family\u201d.<\/p>\n

The longtime Getty royal photographer spoke to nine.com.au when he was recently in Sydney to launch his book, Modern Majesty.<\/p>\n

It is more than just a collection of photographs of the British royal family<\/a> across the past two decades. Alongside many previously-unpublished images, Jackson provides commentary about the untold moments behind them.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Princess of Wales, pictured at the coronation of King Charles, is among the most interesting royals to photograph Jackson says.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of my book is celebratory, it\u2019s covering events that are very positive for the royal family, but it\u2019s kind of unavoidable that there has been some challenges over the last couple of years,\u201d Jackson says.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing the book covers is not only how they got through those difficult times, but also how they bounced back. I\u2019ll never forget those moments where they came back to work after that difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson points to the public return to official duties by the Princess of Wales<\/a> at Trooping the Colour in 2024<\/a>, three months after she had announced her cancer diagnosis<\/a> to the world.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Catherine made her public return to royal duties at Trooping the Colour in 2024, just months after announcing her cancer diagnosis.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201c[Seeing] the Princess of Wales on the balcony with her family, it really lifted the spirits of the nation, so that was very special to be following that and capturing photos.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a particular moment where she looked across at Prince William<\/a>, that was probably the photo of the day, and seeing her beaming out of the carriage as she went past the Queen Victoria Memorial was just so special.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe public was very much behind her, and to see her returning to duties really gave a big uplift to everyone [who feels] like maybe they\u2019ve been on that journey a little bit with her.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since marrying into the British royal family<\/a> in 2011, Catherine has become one of the world\u2019s most photographed women, much like the last royal to hold the Princess of Wales title before her: Diana.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhotographing the Princess of Wales is amazing, she always looks fantastic,\u201d Jackson says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s much said about her fashion, but of course it\u2019s her advocacy and the great work she\u2019s doing, working with the early years and things like that, that\u2019s definitely a focus for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see her get down on the same level with children and interact with them in a really natural and engaging way is fantastic.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means the photos are very candid, very natural, very honest and very genuine and I think that\u2019s lovely.\u201d<\/p>\n

Getting to know the \u201cnuances\u201d of the various working royals has led to Jackson capturing some of the most iconic images of the Windsors over the years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are different personalities within the royal family, and one of the special things about being a royal photographer is that you get to know people very well,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Jackson was commissioned to take this photo of King Charles and Queen Camilla in Rome in celebration of their 20th wedding anniversary in 2025.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re photographing a small group of people on a regular basis, and you get to know the nuances and the characters and how to photograph them. For example, King Charles<\/a> \u2013 he\u2019s got an incredible ability to connect with people very quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson says the secret to getting the best photos is a mix of \u201cpreparation, technical knowledge, having the right equipment on the day [and] being in the right place at the right time\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut one of the things I love about royal photography is the element of luck that\u2019s involved. You don\u2019t have a lot of control over so many of these situations \u2013 the weather, the light, the time,\u201d he continues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat makes it really fun, that element of the unknown. Some days it all comes together, and some days it doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Think of a major royal event and he has done it: Trooping the Colour<\/a>, Royal Ascot<\/a>, Christmas at Sandringham<\/a>, the monarch\u2019s speech at the opening of parliament<\/a>, state visits, births, marriages, deaths, the Braemar Games, milestone birthdays and the coronation of King Charles.<\/p>\n

Jackson took, arguably, what has become the most iconic photograph from the coronation on May 6, 2023.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The cover of Modern Majesty features Jackson’s iconic photo of the king and queen, taken from the balcony of Buckingham Palace at the coronation.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

It was taken from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, from the perspective of King Charles and Queen Camilla<\/a> as they waved to the thousands of people below lining The Mall.<\/p>\n

The photo, not surprisingly, was chosen for the cover of Jackson\u2019s book.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe coronation, for me, was the biggest moment that I\u2019ve experienced. Being there right behind the King and the Queen, literally about one metre away, as the crowds cheered and they waved with the crowns on.\u201d<\/p>\n

A photograph looking out from the balcony had never before been taken.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is great when the public get to see a little bit of what their perspective is and during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, this isn\u2019t a perspective we ever saw, for whatever reason,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really special to be there, and it\u2019s nice when you get that behind-the-scenes insight into these historical moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been photographing the King and Queen for over 20 years now, and to be there in that moment that was clearly so special to them was amazing. It almost felt like I\u2019d come full circle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Jackson took this photograph of Queen Elizabeth II at Sandringham House to mark Accession Day in 2022, beginning what would be Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

While Jackson doesn\u2019t have a favourite royal to capture because \u201cthey\u2019re all enjoyable in different ways\u201d, he says the late Queen, who died in September 2022<\/a> after an historic 70-year reign, was \u201cvery special to photograph\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just loved the fact she was just so incredibly iconic and, it is a clich\u00e9 but she had this incredible presence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Queen\u2019s final three years on the throne saw the start of a period of upheaval within the monarchy, which King Charles is still dealing with.<\/p>\n

\"king<\/p>\n

Jackson has captured the British royals during their biggest moments including here at Windsor, two days after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.\u00a0Getty<\/p>\n

In 2019, the royal formerly known as Prince Andrew stepped back from public facing duties<\/a> after giving an interview to the BBC about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>. Months later, he was banned from using the HRH styling as he was sued in a civil court, which ended in a multi-million financial settlement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Late last year, King Charles stripped Andrew of his royal titles<\/a> as Buckingham Palace announced he would be leaving Royal Lodge<\/a>. The former Duke of York was arrested in February<\/a> on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and was subsequently released under investigation.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex<\/a> have set themselves up as independent players outside of The Firm<\/a> in California, six years after revealing plans to stop being working members of the family.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Jackson with King Charles inside Buckingham Palace in October 2023.\u00a0Getty Images<\/p>\n

Their coveted half-in, half-out approach that was rejected by Elizabeth II now appears to be unofficially in place, as demonstrated by their private working visit to Australia<\/a> in April that blended commercial and charitable events<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Though Jackson\u2019s book covers \u201cthe last 20 to 25 years of royal photography and moments\u201d, Prince Harry<\/a> and Meghan feature just once while Andrew is excluded altogether.<\/p>\n

Jackson chooses his words carefully when asked about the absence of Andrew and the Sussexes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s very much a book on the working royal family,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re the people I photograph on a daily basis, and it\u2019s a group of people with different personalities working across different areas and different directions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve really enjoyed photographing all the different members of the royal family and time moves on, history moves on and, you know, things change over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n

He points to monarch\u2019s official birthday celebrations, Trooping the Colour, as being the perfect example of showing the changing monarchy over the decades.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Jackson was surprised at this photo, taken at Princess Charlotte’s christening in 2015.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a great event to photograph the working members of the royal family on the balcony and over the years you see the children grow.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly recently we saw the royal family for Easter in Windsor Castle and looking at how some of the children have shot up is lovely.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a father [Jackson has two young sons], that\u2019s really lovely to see the changes that happen over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photographing the royal children can produce some of the most memorable, and unexpected, royal images.<\/p>\n

Take Princess Charlotte\u2019s 2015 christening at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in Sandringham.<\/p>\n

William and Catherine, and Prince George<\/a> \u2013 who was about to turn two \u2013 arrived on foot, with Charlotte<\/a> being pushed in a pram Elizabeth II used for two of her own children.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe picture that stood out on the day for me was Prince George peeking, up on his tiptoes, into the pram,\u201d Jackson says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a great example of things you wouldn\u2019t expect happening on the day, but that\u2019s what makes royal photography so special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A little girl stole the show at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2022, making the Prince and Princess of Wales laugh.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Another unexpected moment came at the 2022 St Patrick\u2019s Day parade when a toddler stole the show.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s trying on one of the bearskin hats and that\u2019s just a lovely little moment, the Prince and Princess of Wales are laughing and it comes together to make a lovely picture I never knew I would take when I went to that engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson\u2019s work has taken him around the world with the royals while he has also been commissioned to photograph the family in private for special occasions.<\/p>\n

For King Charles\u2019 70th birthday in November 2018, Jackson took a series of portraits showing three generations: the now-King and his wife, his children Prince William and Prince Harry, their wives Catherine and Meghan, and his grandchildren at the time, George, Charlotte and Louis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As many parents would know, getting children to look in the right direction at the camera can be a miracle, and Jackson asked a member of the royal household to dress up in a bear suit to stand behind him to get the shot.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Trooping the Colour, also known as the monarch’s birthday parade, is one of Jackson’s favourite events to capture.\u00a0Chris Jackson\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes you have to think out of the box a little bit, and the bear was definitely out of the box,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think people really realised what [the children] were laughing at at the time, it was only a couple of years later I could say that it was a bear, I don\u2019t think anyone would have believed it in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson knows he has a special job and access to the royal family very few people have.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am incredibly lucky to be in some of these amazing historical moments,\u201d he says, \u201cand one of the great things about covering the royal family is these feel good moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, 99 per cent of what you photograph is an enjoyable event, something that\u2019s positive, something that\u2019s a celebration around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a huge privilege to do this job, to come to incredible places. The fact that I\u2019ve been to Australia so many times… I will never take that for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the quarter-century he\u2019s been photographing the royal family, Chris Jackson has never experienced a period of turbulence…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":460277,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[430,156,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-460276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-celebrities","tag-entertainment","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=460276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460276\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/460277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=460276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=460276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=460276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}