Life as a big name photographer must be pretty stressful at times, what with the pressure to capture incredible shots of very important people, including the royal family (some of whom are known to be a tad camera shy). So, quite understandably, the odd slip up is bound to happen – and it's something that legendary snapper David Bailey knows about all too well.
When recalling the time he worked with the Queen back in 2014, David revealed that he likes to put his subject at ease by throwing a few jokes into the mix and that when it came to Her Majesty, he made no exceptions.
In a new interview with The Telegraph, David said that whilst joshing about some of the Queen's jewellery, however, a slightly inappropriate pet name - 'girl' - slipped out. But, from the sounds of it, he sounds pretty cool, calm and collected about it all.
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After asking if 'the jewels' were real, David recalls, 'I said: "I bet that cost a few bob, girl". It just came out. I call everyone "girl".'
Further sharing about his special shoot with the Queen, he added that 'she was girlish' and 'made a real effort' while they were on set together, as well as demonstrating her famous sense of humour in response to his 'girl' comment. 'We had a laugh. Beautiful skin, the Queen.'
One royal who will no doubt be interesting in hearing about David's experiences as a photographer is none other than Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, who has routinely proved herself to be a dab hand in front of - and behind - the camera too. It has become a tradition since she and Prince William welcomed their children into the world that Kate always takes their annual birthday portrait herself, along with capturing many other private moments for the family.
Shout out to our 'girl', the Queen, for handling her photoshoot like a total pro.
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
