I still miss Queen Elizabeth’s smile 2 years on but her spirit lives on in devotion of Charles, Camilla, William & Kate
TWO years on from the death of Queen Elizabeth, our much-loved monarch’s influence remains evident in the next generation of the Royal Family.
Tomorrow, on the eve of the anniversary of her passing, I will photograph King Charles and Queen Camilla at the Braemar Highland Games in Aberdeenshire — one of his mother’s favourite outings.
It was a highlight of the summer for both Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip while holidaying at Balmoral.
Even on what will be a weekend of fond remembrance for the Royal Family, this is just one of his mother’s traditions the King is happy to continue.
On Sunday they will mark that sad day on September 8, 2022, when the 96-year-old monarch passed away at her beloved Balmoral following a 70-year reign.
This summer, the royals have been holidaying at the Scottish estate, just as Elizabeth did throughout her life.
Christmas will always be spent on their Norfolk country retreat of Sandringham and Easter at Windsor.
In the King and Camilla — as well as Prince William and Catherine — I’ve witnessed the same devotion to duty I saw in the Queen as I photographed her engagements at home and globally for more than 40 years.
A passionate equestrian, she loved Royal Ascot — a fixture I wrongly thought Charles would stop attending when he became King.
When he was the Prince of Wales, he would arrive in the horse-drawn carriages and two minutes later his Aston Martin would pull up.
After the first race he would climb into the sports car and go off to play in a polo match at Smith’s Lawn in Windsor Great Park.
Camilla loves horse racing, and only last month, attended the Ebor Festival at York racecourse.
Smile lit up room
I never thought Charles would be interested, but having taken on some of his mother’s horses he has become a big fan of the sport of Kings.
When the pair attended the Epsom Derby in Surrey in May, it brought back so many memories of the late Queen.
It was where I took some of my favourite pictures of her, laughing, and clearly enjoying herself.
Two years on I still miss that smile that lit up the room and her great sense of humour.
She was a terrific mimic, though I don’t think she imitated my Cockney accent. If she did, I never heard it.
What has surprised me in the two years since our Queen has gone is how popular Charles has become.
Everywhere we go, the crowds are huge.
When the King and Camilla made a short appearance at Bolton Town Hall to mark its 150th anniversary in January 2023, the throng was 30 deep outside.
Since the King began returning to public duties in April following his cancer diagnosis, the number of well-wishers flocking to see him has grown even bigger.
It will be interesting to see how large the crowds are when he and Camilla visit Australia next month.
In a country that for years has flirted with becoming a republic, we will see if thousands upon thousands queue for hours to see him, as they did for his mother in 2011.
People fainted trying to get a glimpse of the most famous woman in the world.
Little wonder she is still in our hearts.
THE girl who should never have been Queen became the longest-reigning monarch in British history by happy accident.
Here, age 11, she poses with her sister Margaret, mother Elizabeth and father King George VI on his coronation in 1937, following the abdication of her uncle, Edward.
SERVICE to her country was forefront in her mind – as encapsulated by this 1942 snap by Cecil Beaton.
The 16-year-old princess looks relaxed in her Auxiliary Territorial Service uniform during World War Two.
Her granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor may soon follow in her footsteps and join the Military.
WHAT a beautiful image. The newly crowned 27-year-old beams to cheering crowds from the Gold State Coach on the procession back to Buckingham Palace on her Coronation Day, June 2, 1953.
Who would have thought she’d reign for seven incredible decades?
WITH Prince Charles and his bride-to-be Diana Spencer at Buckginham Palace on the day the Privy Council approve their marriage.
Three weeks later, on July 29, 1981, I was outside St Paul’s Cathedral to get the picture the world wanted to see – of Diana’s magnificent wedding dress.
LOTS of things went wrong for the Queen in 1992, leading her to label it her “annus horribilis”.
Two of her children separated and one divorced.
Then, on November 21, fire engulfed her beloved Windsor Castle where she watched rescue efforts.
THIS picture, from 1968, was the last portrait of the Queen ever taken by Cecil Beaton.
It was released the following April to mark her 43rd birthday.
Her dress was made for the Queen’s historic 1965 visit to West Germany at height of the Cold War.
She’s wearing the Vladimir tiara, once owned by Russian royalty.
I TOOK this rather unusual photograph of the Queen in 2005 as she watched a formation of Jaguar fighter planes flypast in diamond formation at RAF Coltishall, near Norwich.
Even from behind it was obvious this was the Queen in one of her distinctive hats.
THIS is one of my favourite photos of the Queen.
I took it as, remarkably age 96, she defied her illness to stand on the balcony at Buckingham Palace during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.
The Mall that day was thronged with well-wishers.
THERE is one picture every photographer wishes they had in their portfolio.
This is the one I would have loved to have taken.
Press photographer Jane Barlow was invited into the Queen’s drawing room at Balmoral in early September 2022 to take what would turn out to be the last-ever picture of this remarkable and much-missed lady.