Prince Andrew Once Published a Photography Book
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former prince who has since become mired in the Epstein scandal, once published a photography book and was described as being “very serious about his photography.”
Andrew — who was recently stripped of his royal titles after further details of his relationship with the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein came to light — has kept a low profile since his arrest in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
However, years before the disgraced former prince was embroiled in the Epstein scandal, the brother of King Charles III developed an interest in photography and attempted to pursue it alongside his royal role. Professional photographer Gene Nocon worked as his technical assistant and helped develop what he described as Andrew’s “instinctive aesthetic eye,” adding that he was “very serious about his photography,” according to a report by the Daily Mail on Sunday.
Encouraged by a small circle, Andrew published a photography book in 1995 titled Photographs: Andrew, Prince Duke of York. In the foreword, it was described as “a small slice of autobiography recording memories and impressions through my eyes and the lens of a camera.”
“This is a book by me, tyro-photographer, rather than by me, member of the Royal Family,” Andrew wrote in the book.
‘Technically Very Poor’
Photographs: Andrew, Prince Duke of York featured mostly black-and-white photographs, including portraits of members of the Royal Family, and received negative reviews when it was published. The Los Angeles Times described it as “sad and pathetic.” Criticism focused in part on two photographs of a young Prince Harry taken during a royal tour aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia, one showing him holding a bucket and spade and another showing him sitting on a swing.
Tim Hughes, then associate editor of the British Journal of Photography, described the images as “technically very poor.”
Kodak’s former head of customer relations also criticized one of the photographs of Harry, writing: “It is an absolute mess. If it were possible to take the child out of the swing altogether, it would have been better; the rope cuts across his face. I don’t like this one at all.”
According to the Mail Online, Andrew later addressed the criticism about his photography during a sit-down interview with ITN at Buckingham Palace, where he acknowledged that “technically they weren’t particularly brilliant.” The former prince also complained that his images of Harry had been misunderstood by the public and that expectations for his photography were too high. He said that critics were unfairly comparing his photography with his uncle, the influential photographer Lord Snowdon. Antony Armstrong-Jones (who later became Lord Snowdon) began his career in 1952 as a society photographer for Tatler. After marrying Queen Elizabeth’s sister Princess Margaret, he became renowned for his informal royal portraiture.
“A small baby, what was everybody expecting? Were they expecting a Snowdon-like portrait? I’m not that brilliant,” Andrew said in the interview.
On February 19, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office after correspondence in the Epstein Files suggested he may have passed on sensitive trade information, and was released under investigation after spending 11 hours in custody. He has denied any wrongdoing.
The resurfacing of Andrew’s long-forgotten photography book has drawn comparisons to Brooklyn Beckham’s infamous What I See, released in 2017. Beckham’s infamous photography career and book — which featured a much maligned photo of an elephant — recently surged in value after a highly publicized spat with his family. New listings of the book were as high as $400.
Image credits: Header photo via Goodreads (left) and Depositphotos (right).
