Patrick Lichfield, royal photographer

LONDON – Patrick Lichfield, whose dashing looks, royal pedigree and artistic talent made him one of the fashion world’s best-known photographers, died in hospital on Friday after suffering a stroke.

He was 66. Lichfield, first cousin once removed to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, was best known for his informally posed 1981 wedding portraits of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.Buckingham Palace said the Queen was deeply saddened by the news.Born Thomas Patrick Anson in April 1939, the man who became the fifth Earl of Lichfield was considered one of Britain’s premier photographers after a 44-year career behind the lens.His work varied from covering Royal family events to documenting “swinging-60s” London.He also photographed the wedding of Mick and Bianca Jagger.For an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 2003, Lichfield said he took enormous pleasure in looking back over his work.”I am fortunate that my career has brought me into contact with many interesting and beautiful people,” he said.”My work is a permanent record of that.”Lichfield, who had a holiday home on the exclusive Caribbean island of Mustique and lived in Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire, was dubbed the David Bailey of the upper classes.He went to school at Harrow then moved to the army officer school of Sandhurst before joining the Grenadier Guards.His interest in photography was sparked when his mother gave him a camera as he was sent off to boarding school at the tender age of seven.To the dismay of his parents Viscount Anson and Princess Anne of Denmark, who promptly cut off his allowance, he became a photographer’s assistant when he left the army in October 1962 as the 1960s began to get into their stride.His social connections opened doors to him worldwide – including those of Buckingham Palace – giving him unprecedented access to the cream of society and the arts.He photographed hosts of beautiful women for fashion magazines and calendars.”I think people will remember him best for those fantastic pictures he took at Charles and Diana’s wedding,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward told Sky news.”There was an informal moment and they were all falling about laughing and I think that is probably one of the pictures that people will remember best.”Once a heavy smoker and drinker, he gave up the former and all but stopped the latter after suffering a fractured skull, broken back and punctured lung in an accident on Mustique in the early 1990s.- Nampa-ReutersLichfield, first cousin once removed to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, was best known for his informally posed 1981 wedding portraits of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.Buckingham Palace said the Queen was deeply saddened by the news.Born Thomas Patrick Anson in April 1939, the man who became the fifth Earl of Lichfield was considered one of Britain’s premier photographers after a 44-year career behind the lens.His work varied from covering Royal family events to documenting “swinging-60s” London.He also photographed the wedding of Mick and Bianca Jagger.For an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 2003, Lichfield said he took enormous pleasure in looking back over his work.”I am fortunate that my career has brought me into contact with many interesting and beautiful people,” he said.”My work is a permanent record of that.”Lichfield, who had a holiday home on the exclusive Caribbean island of Mustique and lived in Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire, was dubbed the David Bailey of the upper classes.He went to school at Harrow then moved to the army officer school of Sandhurst before joining the Grenadier Guards.His interest in photography was sparked when his mother gave him a camera as he was sent off to boarding school at the tender age of seven.To the dismay of his parents Viscount Anson and Princess Anne of Denmark, who promptly cut off his allowance, he became a photographer’s assistant when he left the army in October 1962 as the 1960s began to get into their stride.His social connections opened doors to him worldwide – including those of Buckingham Palace – giving him unprecedented access to the cream of society and the arts.He photographed hosts of beautiful women for fashion magazines and calendars.”I think people will remember him best for those fantastic pictures he took at Charles and Diana’s wedding,” royal biographer Ingrid Seward told Sky news.”There was an informal moment and they were all falling about laughing and I think that is probably one of the pictures that people will remember best.”Once a heavy smoker and drinker, he gave up the former and all but stopped the latter after suffering a fractured skull, broken back and punctured lung in an accident on Mustique in the early 1990s.- Nampa-Reuters

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