Royal photographer Chris Jackson said he “always enjoys” working with Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry.
Jackson, Getty Images’ official royal photographer, spoke with Page Six on Wednesday at a party promoting his new book, Modern Majesty: The British Royal Family in a New Era, at N. Peel on the Upper East Side.
“Photoshooting them was always a wonderful experience,” he said of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
He recalled Harry’s trips to Lesotho and Bali, as well as filming the Spare author’s annual Invictus Games, which the lensman called an “incredible achievement.”
“I did all the behind-the-scenes work,” he said, calling the work “amazing.”
Jackson said she had “a lot of fun traveling” with the couple and said they had a “great dynamic.”
“There are many different people in the royal family,” he explained. “That’s why I always enjoy taking pictures.”
But Mr Jackson said his book depicted the lives of “working members of the royal family”.
“So that’s what I’m focused on,” he said.
Prince Harry, 41, and Prince Markle, 44, gave up their royal duties and moved to California in 2020.
The cover of his book, published by Rizzoli, 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 what makes this book, the feel of the book…unusual,” Jackson said. “King Charles does things a little differently.”
Mr Jackson believes the royal family has become “more open” to the public under Charles.
“They go to great lengths to meet the public and take selfies,” he said, referring to the king and queen, as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton. “That’s not something we’ve really seen before.”
Mr Jackson said the 77-year-old monarch had an “incredible ability” to connect with people.
“He’s always telling a joke or saying something that puts people at ease,” Jackson said.
“I think they’re making it as accessible as possible,” he added.
Fortunately for Jackson, the royal family is less concerned with getting on their own good side and more concerned with using the power of photography to make a difference.
“They just take their job seriously. Whatever they’re doing that day, it’s my job to document it and tell the story,” he said. “You don’t really get that kind of feedback with photography. So I think they understand the importance of photography and the power of photography.”
“I think in general, if it’s well-publicized that they’re trying to make a change, they’re probably positive about it. But I don’t think it’s really vanity in terms of how they look in photos and aspects like that.”
For Jackson, art is about 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. “Many of the photos in this book are unexpected moments.”
