PHOTOGRAPHING ROYALTY

Evening Star, Issue 18852, 29 January 1925, Page 2

PHOTOGRAPHING ROYALTY

ONE OF THE FINE ARTS, In a lifetime not very long Mr Richard Speaight has photographed nearly all the members of every Royal fiamily in Europe. And as I sat with him in his studios in Bond street 1 listened to many entertaining stories about Royalties (says a writer in the London ‘ Evening News ').

“ 1 have been so far honored as to be allowed to photograph our own Royal Family ever since her late Majesty Queen Victoria commanded me to take pictures of her grandchildren more than twentyfive years ago,” bo said in his quiet way, which can only be described as courtly. “ The Royal mode of living has changed in great measure since those days. The austerity and discipline which surrounded the Roy til Family years ago has been displaced by a most charming democratic spirit. “ The first time I was commanded to go down to Osborne to photograph Queen Victoria’s grandchildren ‘ Princess May,’ I think, was only two. “ I had taken my cameras and impedimenta into one of tiro beautiful reception rooms, and was waiting when a lady-in-waiting came towards mo in a, groat hurry and whispered ; ‘ Mr Speaight, please lake your things out of this room. Her Majesty is just going to pass through the room, and it would be terrible if she found these things here!’

“ The other day, when I was up in Yorkshire taking a photograph of Her Roval Highness Princess Mary s youngest child, I was struck by the contrast of the present time. While I was photographing the new baby Lord Lasueitss stood by, holding his son and heir on his arm so that he would not interfere with my work !

“ Soon after the birth of the Queen of Spain’s first child I had been commanded to attend at the palace in Madrid and take some photographs of the Eoyul child. I went, and did some really wonder! ul photographs—the poses pleased me. But work like that, even with Royal children, is very tiring. I had had to concentrate enormously upon the task, and when 1 left the great rooms in winch 1 had ecm taking the pictures I was quite exhausted. With my cameras and other paraphernalia, in my arms I had walked wearily for a long time along corridors frying to find my way out of the palace, when I saw a. man approaching. I recognised in him the late Prince Maurice, the Queen’s brother.

“ I hurried to him, and, having apologised for interrupting His Royal Highness’s solitary constitutional, said : ‘ 1 am anxious to get out of the palace, sir, ami cannot find the way.’ ‘Mr Speaight,’ be replied, with a smile full of fun, ’ I in sorry I cannot direct you out of my sister’s palace —for the sole and sufficient reason that I have been trying to get, out of it myself. 1 am lost.’

Mr Speaight—-y.iu hardly believe ns you dmt to him—is fitly nest birthday: them is not a grey strand in his abundant auburn hair, ami’ his young, tanned, ••n----tbus in siir features bluntly belie his years. He showed me some remarkably good unconventional nictures of Royal clients of his. How, L asked, did he account for the, charm which his prints undeniably have ’

“ That, my dear hoy,” he said, “ is because Royalty are the best sitters in the world. No commoner I know shows that exquisite consideration which one learns to appreciate in people of Royal blood. A Mr John Snooks would not surprise mo if he arrived here for an appointment late. I have had appointments irnmmorablo with reigning kings and queens, and never on a single occasion have I had to await them for so much as a minute. “ One day, when I was over in tiermany—it was long before the war—l liad taken my photographs of the young Crown Prince and his brothers at the Palace m Berlin. I was trying to arrange, a good sitting for a picture of the Crown Princess.

“ Somehow- I could not make things right'. The room seemed to depress me. Mothing appeared to go. Her Imperial Highness asked me most solicitously what was Ihe matter. ‘Von do not seem happy.’ she said. “ ‘ Your Imperial Highness,’ I replied, * somehow I rannof take a good photograph of rnu in lids room, 1 here is something wrong! iin! I should like fn take your photograph in a. room at the other side of the palace. 1 know I could do well there. Would yon . . “ I My good Mr Speaight !’ she exclaimed." ‘ You have taken all the trouble to come from London to take me, ?nrdy I can lake the trouble to cross my ou n home to make your work easier!’