Royal photographer Chris Jackson believes Prince William and Duchess Kate’s three children are old enough to realize that their upbringings are not normal.
The Getty Images lensman 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.
Jackson said of Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 7, “I don’t get to see them very often, but when I do, I’m so happy to see them grow up.”
Through his observations, Jackson believes the three little royals are beginning to learn that they are more than just children.
“I think they understand that it’s not normal to be in a situation like this,” he said, referring to royal appearances like Trooping the Color.
“It’s great to see them interacting together,” he added.
While Charlotte is a caricature of her father, Jackson described Charlotte as a mini-version of Kate.
“She has great poise,” he said of the little princess.
Jackson was particularly moved by Charlotte’s candid snapshot taken during a horse-drawn carriage ride during Trooping the Color 2024.
“She had a certain kind of focus in this photo,” Jackson said of the photo, which appears in his new book, adding, “I love that moment.”
Ms Jackson recalled another “particularly funny” moment caught on camera at the 2025 VE Day parade when George’s siblings were “joking about his hair”.
“I feel a lot of these little moments,” Jackson said, adding that it was wonderful to have a front seat to witness the “father-son relationship” between Prince George and the Prince of Wales.
“It was really special to photograph them over the years,” he said.
Mr Jackson revealed that his portrait of Prince Charles on his 70th birthday was “the most unusual royal photo shoot”.
“I had one of the people at the palace dress up as a bear,” he recalls. “Everyone was giggling.”
“It was a nice candid moment with the kids. It was a contrast to the more formal images needed for history,” he added.
Elsewhere in the interview, Jackson shared some insight into Charles’ bubbly personality.
“He has an incredible ability to connect with people from different cultures around the world,” Jackson said. “He’s always telling jokes and saying things that make the person he’s talking to feel relaxed.”
Regarding his experience working with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Jackson said, “It was an amazing experience photographing them.”
“There are many different people in the royal family,” he explained. “That’s why I always enjoy taking pictures.”
