Royal Photographer Reveals the Moment He Was Told Not to Photograph (But He Did Anyway While Committing the 'Most Cardinal of Sins')

A royal photographer is speaking out about a major moment he was told not to photograph.

In late March 2022, Richard Pohle was the only official photographer inside of Westminster Abbey during the celebration of the life of Prince Philip, who died last year at the age of 99.

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Richard was told not to photograph the Queen as she entered (which was a controversial moment as she was escorted by her son Prince Andrew.) If you don’t know, Prince Andrew had not been seen much since he agreed to settle the lawsuit against him from accuser Virginia Giuffre. The Queen reportedly helped pay for the settlement, which amounted to millions and millions of dollars.

“Naturally, I balked at the order,” Richard told The Times. “To an outsider this may seem reasonable. ‘What’s the problem,’ you may ask, ‘the Queen should have some privacy in her advanced age.’ I agree, but when the BBC is broadcasting the entire event to the world I think I should be able to take a picture as the only official photographer. How would she arrive? There was some speculation that she might arrive using a buggy or even a wheelchair. If I had no picture of that I would have the entire British media asking why not.”

He then learned Prince Andrew would be escorting her.

“This changed everything,” Richard added. “‘I absolutely need to photograph this,’ I said. The arrival of the Queen was now the major news event. I could see them wavering but they repeated that the no picture order ‘came from the top’ and that ‘it wasn’t up to them.’”

Then, Richard was placed in a location where he really could not see the Queen upon her arrival.

“Desperation dictated I do something quickly. As the choir started up I jumped off my footstool and moved quickly to the aisle between the rows of seats opposite where the Queen would walk,” he said. “Suddenly moving from an official position while on a royal rota is the most cardinal of sins. I brushed past the press officer and could feel a hand reach out to try and stop me but I rushed past and crouched in the centre of the aisle.”

“I knew it would be the main picture from the ceremony that the news outlets were looking for. I went back to my official position passing the frowning press officer and whispered an apology,” he added.