Royal photographer shares 'snap judgements' about British royals from behind the scenes interactions

Royal photographer Chris Jackson, who has photographed members of the British royal family for nearly two decades, is revealing the judgements he made of the royals from their behind-the-scenes interactions.

The Getty Images photographer, who accompanied Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their Australian tour and took an official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II among several other royal pictures, said that he has always found royal photography having more depth than celebrity photography. He explained to People magazine, "The thing I love about royal photography is the depth with which you get to know your subjects. Celebrity photography is one thing — you are photographing a much bigger roster. With royals you have the opportunity to build up an in-depth knowledge of their personalities."

Talking about his experience photographing Prince Harry, Jackson said that he forged a close working bond with the royal over the years as he clicked him during his tour of Southern Africa and him launching his Invictus Games among other occasions. The photographer said that the Duke of Sussex has a "real energy to his engagements," and brings "an element of unpredictability which has always been special."

"One example of that was when he joined in a charity run in Rio de Janeiro and he ended up finishing the race with a face mask on. You literally couldn't have predicted that," he recalled.

As for Prince Charles, the heir apparent is "very interactive with people and expressive," while his mother Queen Elizabeth II "moves about engagements in a different way." Meanwhile, Charles's wife Camilla has impressed Jackson as he finds her "absolutely awesome to photograph."

He said about the Duchess of Cornwall, "You can find yourself in some far-flung corner of the world and something amusing happens and you in the room with them and you get a smile. Taking a picture is the most honest thing you can do — it is a record of exactly what happened at that second. She understands that, and understands that you are doing a job."

Jackson has also had the experience of photographing young royals including Prince William and Kate Middleton's children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The photographer, who shares two-year-old son Theo with his wife Natasha Archer- assistant and stylist to Kate Middleton, says photographing the royal children "always makes you smile behind the camera, and I love that."

Jackson added that assignments involving the youngest royals are "a different, exciting kettle of fish" because "there is a real energy to the engagement, which is great fun." "It is a less regular event, but equally that's what makes it so special," he said.