Royal Photographer Reveals the Truth About Working With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Chris Jackson talked about covering the couple's trips and behind-the-scenes for the Invictus Games.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been polarizing figures since they left the royal family. Opinions on the couple are almost always split, rarely finding a middle ground. However, more recently, long-time Getty Images royal photographer Chris Jackson has revealed what it was like to work with the Sussexes.
Jackson recently spoke to Page Six at a party promoting his new book, Modern Majesty: The British Royal Family in a New Era, about his experience photographing Harry and Markle. He said that he has “always enjoyed” working with the couple, further adding, “I’ve always had a great experience photographing them both.” Calling Harry’s Invictus Games “an incredible achievement”, he proudly mentioned, “I did all the behind-the-scenes”. He further complimented the couple for having a “great dynamic” and added that he “enjoyed the trips” that he went on with them.
Jackson had also covered Harry’s trips to Lesotho and Bali. “There are all these different characters in the royal family,” he said. “So I’ve always enjoyed photographing them.” Although he has had a great experience with Harry and Meghan, he clarified that his new book solely revolves around the “working members of the royal family”. He said, “So that’s what I focus on”.
Jackson has photographed some key moments for the royal family, including King Charles’ coronation in 2023. “I think that’s kind of the vibe of the book, the feeling of the book…things that have changed,” the experienced photographer mentioned. “King Charles is doing things a little bit differently.” In the new era that Jackson has covered in his book, the monarchy has been “more open”, according to him. “They spend a very long time meeting members of the public and [taking] selfies. That’s not something we’ve really seen before,” he said. “I think they do make themselves as accessible as possible,” he further added.
Jackson mentioned that the royal family understands the 'power' of photography. “They do very much just crack on with the job, and it’s my job to kind of document and tell the story of whatever they’re doing on the day. You don’t really get that kind of feedback in photos. I mean, I think they understand the importance of photos and the power of photos,” he said. Thankfully for him, the family members don’t care much about looking good in pictures as much as they do about capturing the work they do, which can bring about a change. Jackson said, “Generally, I think if there is good coverage of something they are trying to make a difference in, they are probably positive about that. But I don’t think it’s really a vanity thing in terms of how they look in the pictures and that kind of side of it.”
The veteran photographer’s job is documenting the moments as they happen. He generally cannot pre-plan the shots or arrive at the job with a set mindset. But that’s the exact aspect he loves about it. “I love that element of things. You know, 50 percent of my job is luck. So many of the pictures in the book are unexpected moments,” he said.
