Royal photographer Chris Jackson said he’s “always enjoyed” working with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
Jackson, Getty Images’ official royal photographer, spoke with Page Six at a party promoting his new book, “Modern Majesty: The British Royal Family in a New Era,” at N. Peal on the Upper East Side Wednesday.
“I’ve always had a great experience photographing them both,” he said of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
He recalled capturing Harry’s trips to Lesotho and Bali as well as the “Spare” author’s annual Invictus Games, which the lensman called “an incredible achievement.”
“I did all the behind-the-scenes,” he said, calling the jobs “fantastic.”
Jackson said that he “enjoyed the trips” that he went on with the couple and divulged that the pair have a “great dynamic.”
“There’s all these different characters in the royal family,” he explained. “So I’ve always enjoyed photographing them.”
However, Jackson said that his book captures the lives of “working members of the royal family.”
“So that’s what I focus on,” he said.
Harry, 41, and Markle, 44, notably gave up their royal duties and moved to California in 2020.
The cover of his Rizzoli-published tome features a close-up image of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the day of their coronation on May 6, 2023.
“I think that’s kind of the vibe of the book, the feeling of the book…things that have changed,” Jackson said. “King Charles is doing things a little bit differently.”
Jackson believes the royal family is “more open” with the public under Charles’ reign.
“They spend a very long time meeting members of the public and [taking] Selfies,” he said, referencing the king and queen as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton. “That’s not something we’ve really seen before.”
Jackson said that the 77-year-old monarch has an “incredible ability” to connect with people.
“He’s always got a joke or, you know, something that’s going to make the person he’s talking to feel relaxed,” Jackson shared.
“I think they do make themselves as accessible as possible,” he added.
Fortunately for Jackson, the royals care more about using the power of photography to create change rather than getting their good side.
“They do very much just crack on with the job, and it’s my job to kind of document and tell the story of whatever they’re doing on the day,” he said. “You don’t really get that kind of feedback in photos. I mean, I think they understand the importance of photos and the power of photos.”
He continued, “Generally, I think if there is good coverage of something they are trying to make a difference in, they are probably positive about that. But I don’t think it’s really a vanity thing in terms of how they look in the pictures and that kind of side of it.”
For Jackson, the art lies in capturing the unpredictable moments of the royal family.
“I love that element of things. You know, 50 percent of my job is luck,” he said. “So many of the pictures in the book are unexpected moments.”
Read the full article here
