As a longtime royal photographer for Getty Images, Chris Jackson has learned to expect the unexpected. Between the unpredictable British weather, surprising fan reactions and historic royal moments, Jackson has seen it all. But he tells Marie Claire that one adorable interaction at Princess Charlotte’s christening completely changed his idea of what the standout image of the day would look like.
Jackson, whose latest book, Modern Majesty, was published on March 3, says as a royal photographer, you “start an event with an image in your mind, and sometimes it pans out like that and sometimes it doesn't.”
He points to Charlotte’s 2015 christening as an example, recalling, “When I was preparing for that event, I thought the picture of the day would be Princess Charlotte in her Honiton lace dress on her christening day.” Royal babies dating back to Queen Victoria’s have worn the same English lace christening gown, including Queen Elizabeth, although Charlotte and her siblings have worn a recreation.
While Jackson did take multiple photos of Princess Charlotte in her christening robe, there was another member of the Royal Family who ended up stealing the show.
“The best picture I think from the day, and the one that stands out to me, was Prince George peering into the kind of Victorian-style pram to catch a glimpse of his sister on her christening day,” he says.
In the photo, George, who was just shy of two years old at the time, wears a red-and-white shorts outfit inspired by one Prince William wore as a toddler. He stands on his tiptoes to look into Charlotte’s stroller as his proud parents look on, and Jackson says “it was a lovely little moment.” He continues the sweet, unplanned photo was “the strongest image of the day by far.”
Reflecting on Charlotte's christening day, the photographer tells Marie Claire, “You never quite know what to expect, and that's what I love about royal photography is that sense of not knowing and the anticipation. It's great fun.”
Jackson admits that “for every photo that's gone right, there's been a lot that have gone wrong,” adding, “I always try my hardest and all you can do is prepare in the best possible way.”
Pointing to the historic coronation photo of King Charles and Queen Camilla wearing their crowns on the balcony of Buckingham Palace—which Jackson had special permission to take from behind—he says that he was “very fortunate” having “a front-row seat” to the event.
“It was quite difficult to imagine that picture in real life, because obviously I've never seen two people in crowns on the balcony with the crowds next to them,” he says with a laugh.
“You always feel the weight of history,” Jackson adds. “But a lot of these times you're acting in split seconds and the situation's out of your control.”
Fortunately, he got the shot—and it's now the cover image of Modern Majesty.
