On Wednesday afternoon, it was announced that photographer Peter Lindbergh had sadly passed away, aged 74. The iconic photographer - who was born in Poland - had worked with the Duchess of Sussex on two occasions; the most recent was for the September issue of British Vogue when he photographed the inspiring faces hand-picked by Meghan for the cover, and he also snapped Meghan for the October 2017 issue of Vanity Fair back when she was on the TV show Suits. As well as royalty, Peter has shot some of the most iconic supermodels around the world; from Naomi Campbell to Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss. The news of his passing was revealed on his official Instagram account with a sombre black and white photo which read: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peter Lindbergh on September 3rd 2019, at the age of 74. He is survived by his wife Petra, his first wife Astrid, his four sons Benjamin, Jérémy, Simon, Joseph and seven grandchildren. He leaves a big void."
Meghan and Peter on a shoot
Meghan left a heart-felt message which appeared on the Sussex Royal Instagram Account with a picture of the pair. "Honouring the life and work of photographer Peter Lindbergh. His work is revered globally for capturing the essence of a subject and promoting healthy ideals of beauty, eschewing photoshopping, and preferring natural beauty with minimal makeup. The Duchess of Sussex had worked with Peter in the past and personally chose him to shoot the 15 women on the cover for the September issue of British Vogue, which she guest edited. There is no other photographer she considered to bring this meaningful project to life. "Forces for Change" was the one of the esteemed photographer’s final published projects. He will be deeply missed."
Peter photographed Meghan for the September issue of Vogue
As well as Vogue and Vanity Fair, his work featured in many other publications including Harper's Bazaar and The New Yorker. The photographer preferred a natural stance on his work and told Vogue: "I hate retouching. I hate make-up. I always say: 'Take the make-up off!" And it seems that was one of the reasons Prince Harry's wife loved working with him. Peter explained that Meghan, 38, called him once and explained how she wanted to be shot. "My instructions from the Duchess were clear: 'I want to see freckles!'. Well, that was like running through open doors for me. I love freckles."
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He also famously once said: "It should be the responsibility of photographers today to free women and finally everyone, from the terror of youth and perfection..."
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Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron took to Twitter to post a heart-felt message. " My heart is broken. Peter Lindbergh was a genius and an absolute master of his craft. Beyond that, what made him truly one of a kind was his consistent kindness, warmth, and incredible sense of humour. One of the best human beings I have ever met. I will never forget you my friend."