Today marks what would have been the 60th birthday of Princess Diana, and a royal photographer has revealed how her sons carried on her legacy. Shutterstock’s royal photographer Tim Rooke has shared memories of photographing the Princess of Wales.
He said her sons Prince William and Prince Harry have carried on her legacy through how they treat others.Mr Rooke said Diana‘s “warm character” and her interactions with the public always “stood out” to him as a “clear display of her personality and compassion”.
What did Mr Rooke say about Princess Diana?
Mr Rooke told Entertainment Daily!: “The rapport Princess Diana had with members of the public can certainly be seen in the younger royals…
“…where Princes Harry and William continue her legacy through the work they do and how they treat others.”
Meanwhile, Mr Rooke also revealed how Harry and Meghan Markle are “similar” to how Diana was in front of the camera.
Harry and Meghan provide ‘similar opportunities’ as Diana
He continued: “My lengthy career has allowed me the privilege to access Royals across multiple generations, documenting weddings, births and sadly, deaths.
“This has allowed me to watch the Royals grow and develop with time, and really understand their personalities.
“Princess Diana’s relaxed presence in front of the camera diverted away from the trend of the formal Royal photograph, allowing me to create more intimate and real snapshots.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex provide similar opportunities.
Princess Diana ‘made the public feel as ease’
“They are often captured holding hands…
“…showing a huge amount of affection towards each other, even at formal occasions.”
Mr Rooke also discussed what he learnt about the late princess which the camera could never capture.
He said: “Princess Diana was a warm character.
“Her interactions with the public always stood out to me as a clear display of her personality and compassion.
“Often referred to as the ‘people’s princess’, she presented herself as a relatable character making the public feel at ease.
“I’d always try to capture this in my photographs, but her warmth really shone through in real life, and I’m not sure any image could truly capture it.
“However, I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to travel with her and show the world some of the amazing work she did.”
In addition, Mr Rooke said Diana was “different from other royals” when it came to photographs.
He explained: “Diana was the first of the Royals to engage with photographers.
“Capturing her beauty and personality through the camera was always a pleasure. She was different from other royals.”