Photographer accidentally calls Queen Elizabeth II 'girl' during shoot

Photographer David Bailey recalled the memorable experience of having Queen Elizabeth II smile at him during one of his photo shoots.

Speaking with The Telegraph, the 84-year old remembered the smile the British monarch gave him after he joked about her jewels. It was in 2014 and he asked her if "the jewels" were authentic. The royal beamed at him then and helped him get a good portrait of a smiling queen.

Bailey said he also unintentionally called the 95-year old "girl" during the same photoshoot. He recalled telling her, "I bet that cost a few bob, girl." He admitted that the "girl" just slipped out of his mind. He said it "just came out" because he calls everyone "girl."

However, Queen Elizabeth did not seem to mind being called as such. The photographer remembered at the time that she "was girlish" and that she "made a real effort." He said they had a laugh and even remembered Her Majesty had "beautiful skin."

Aside from Queen Elizabeth II, Bailey also had the privilege to take a portrait of Princess Diana in the 1980s. At the time, he remembered her having "terrible hair" because of the hairspray-heavy style back in the day.

He called the look "solid as a plastic dummy" but remembered it was handy when a light fell on the late Princess of Wales' head during the shoot. Her hair protected her head from the force of the drop.

He said Princess Diana was very gracious and she even consoled the assistant who dropped the light. He remembered she said, "Don't think about it; it was a terrible accident.' I told her she had been very magnanimous – that's right, because she asked me what magnanimous meant."

The said photo was taken when Princess Diana was only 27 years old and already a mother to two boys. The black and white portrait shows her poised elegantly while appearing "reserved, stoic and looking away from the viewer." Bailey commissioned it to the National Portrait Gallery and it is now on display as part of the "Life Through a Royal Lens" exhibit at Kensington Palace.