Controversial photos of the Queen being escorted into Prince Philip's memorial service on the arm of disgraced son Prince Andrew almost weren't taken, a photographer has revealed.
At last week's service, which was broadcast live on the BBC, only one press photographer was granted access to take shots within the Abbey.
That job was given to The Times photographer Richard Pohle, who was the royal rota photographer inside the event.
Before the service started, he was assigned a place to stand to take pictures and claims he was told by a Buckingham Palace press officer that he was not to take photos of the Queen until she was in her seat.
However, he says as he waited for the monarch's arrival, news filtered in from his colleagues outside the Abbey that the Queen would be escorted into the service by Andrew.
Mr Pohle revealed in The Times how he pleaded with the palace press officer to be allowed to take pictures of her arrival - especially as the event was being shown live on TV and he was "responsible for still photography for the entire media and would be in a hell of a lot of trouble if there was blanket TV coverage of the Queen openly showing support for Prince Andrew but no photographs".
Eventually, he says it was agreed that he could photograph the arrival but as the Queen entered the Abbey, the congregation stood, blocking his view of the shot.
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He said: "As the choir started up I jumped off my footstool and moved quickly to the aisle between the rows of seats opposite where the Queen would walk.
"Suddenly moving from an official position while on a royal rota is the most cardinal of sins. I brushed past the press officer and could feel a hand reach out to try and stop me but I rushed past and crouched in the centre of the aisle.
"I waited until the clergy reached the end of the aisle and turned sharply to the left and the picture opened up. I got the picture. I knew it would be the main picture from the ceremony that the news outlets were looking for. I went back to my official position passing the frowning press officer and whispered an apology."
Mr Pohle's shots of the Queen and Andrew at the event were then seen around the world and left commentators stunned as it showed Andrew taking centre stage at the ceremony.
It has been suggested that her so-called favourite son tested the water and saw it as a 'springboard' to be given the green light to appear at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee this summer.
But that will not happen, according to respected royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams. In fact, he says there is just no way Princes Charles and William would accept Andrew playing any part in the celebrations.
He told the Mirror: "In terms of royal events, I don't expect we will see Prince Andrew appear in the near future - if ever again.
"He won't play any kind of a role in the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, of that, I think we can be quite sure.
"Prince Charles and William will be totally opposed to it, it's a non-starter."
