Royal photographer Chris Jackson was once again given the honour to take candid pictures of the royal family. To mark Prince Charles' 70th birthday on Wednesday, the Palace released two portraits - taken by the Getty Images photographer - showing the heir to the throne posing alongside his wife the Duchess of Cornwall, his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, his daughters-in-law Kate and Meghan, and his three young grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe royals posed to celebrate Prince Charles' 70th birthday
Chris, who has worked closely with the royal family to capture various historic moments over the past 15 years, has shared his delight over the special photographs. "I've travelled all over the world photographing the Prince of Wales for the last 15 years from Durbars in Nigeria to the Galápagos Islands, Pakistan, Japan and many more as well as covering numerous domestic Royal Engagements," he said on Instagram. "So I was delighted to have been asked to take these official portraits of The Prince surrounded by his family to celebrate the important milestone of his 70th Birthday." He added: "It was particularly special to capture such an informal and relaxed family portrait over a fun afternoon in the gardens of Clarence House!"
Gallery: 19 incredible rare images of Prince Charles to mark his 70th birthday
The official photographs were taken on 5 September in the gardens of Clarence House. Chris – the man behind Prince George's fifth birthday portraits and the Cambridges' official Christmas photo last year – even revealed that the second light-hearted photo was perhaps his favourite one of all time. In September, Chris released a new book, called Modern Monarchy: The British Royal Family Today, which offers readers a glimpse into the world of royals. The book covers themes such as the importance of remembrance, charity events, big historic moments, dressing for duty and the royal diary.
"It's about the tradition that makes the Royal Family what it is, as well as how it's diversifying and moving forward into a new world, embracing things like social media and the young royals and their passion for charity," he recently told HELLO!. "It's amazing when you get the opportunity to work in those areas, where the stories you're telling and the pictures I'm taking are making a difference, they're spreading the word. It's an incredible privilege to be involved in that world."
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