Royal photographer Chris Jackson explains story behind ‘powerful’ Kate Middleton photo – exclusive

A black and white image of Kate wearing a face mask, taken amid tight Covid-19 restrictions at the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh in 2021, is particularly powerful.

“It formed an important part of the historical record of that day and that moment in time, and for many people, it did seem to resonate,” Chris told HELLO!.

“As a photographer, you’re capturing moments in history that people will look at in tens of years’ time – hundreds of years’ time, maybe – so it feels like a lot of responsibility. But at the same time, that’s what makes it so special.”

“One of the great things about being a royal photographer is being at the epicentre of these incredible, positive, exciting moments,” Chris added.

“Trooping the Colour is a royal touchpoint for the year; we see the family develop and change, and you see the children grow. And there are always some fun moments. I had to include a shot from 2022 that showed one of Queen Elizabeth II’s last appearances on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, when Prince Louis put his hands over his ears as the RAF Red Arrows roared overhead.

“The children always bring a smile to my face. They’re not always adhering to royal protocol, necessarily, and it’s that kind of heartwarming situation that has me chuckling behind the camera.”

Chris was behind the lens – and behind the King and Queen – as they stepped out for their historic moment on the balcony on the day of their coronation. 

“It was incredibly surreal, and such a privilege to be there,” he said. “I took it from a position that we would never have seen during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, so it’s a good example of how the King and Queen are doing things slightly differently in their era.

“There were some nerves, I won’t lie. But when I saw it on the back of the camera and realised I’d got something, it was such a buzz.

“Nothing prepares you for the actual moment on the day. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment and I’ll never forget the roar from the crowd.”

“I really love photographing those behind-the-scenes moments. You get to see inside people’s characters, behind the pomp and the ceremony.” 

Chris was also asked to take the official photographs to mark the King and Queen’s 20th wedding anniversary in Rome last year. 

After photographing the couple for two decades, it “felt almost like coming full circle”, he says. “It was a huge privilege to capture such an important moment in their story.”

Another candid scene shows the Prince and Princess of Wales at a celebration following the successful inaugural ceremony of William’s Earthshot Prize Awards in London in 2021.

“As she put a comforting hand on his back, no one could have predicted the global reach that the awards have today and the number of lives they’ve touched around the world. It’s an intimate moment that is symbolic of the support the Princess has given her husband throughout.”

One particularly arresting black and white shot of Prince William came from his visit to Cape Town for the Earthshot Prize Awards Ceremony.

“The Earthshot Awards is one of his greatest achievements and the passion and dedication he puts into this groundbreaking environmental movement is clear from the look on his face,” says Chris.

The veteran photographer was also chosen to photograph the Princess Royal for her 75th birthday celebrations last summer, capturing Anne alongside her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

“Princess Anne is fantastic and I was blown away by the social-media response to that picture,” he says. “People really respect her. They recognise what a hard worker she is. She’s incredibly stoic; for example, in her recovery from her horse accident [in 2024].

“She works so hard behind the scenes in a quieter way and many people don’t realise how much she does. She’s a no-nonsense kind of person; I think we all know that. But it’s lovely to photograph her in that sense, and great to see how much people value her.”