IN the world of press photography there are legends – and then there is Arthur Edwards.
Our royal photographer has been on The Sun’s staff for 50 years, and in that time he has become a household name for his brilliant pictures.
Sun snapper Arthur Edward with the press pack on the day PM Margaret Thatcher quit in 1990Times Newspapers Ltd
And to mark his incredible career, Arthur, who is still working at the age of 84, was last night presented with the well-deserved Lifetime Achievement prize at the annual Press Awards.
He received the honour for a feat in national newspaper history that is unlikely ever to be repeated.
In half a century working for Britain’s favourite newspaper, lorry driver’s son Arthur has visited 120 countries to take photos – not only of the royals, but also many of the world’s best-known faces.
Today he shares some of his favourite pictures – a tiny fraction of the thousands he has taken for readers of The Sun since he joined the staff in December 1974.
Lady Diana Spencer, 1981
Probably my most famous Diana picture came about because I knew that the girl who would marry Prince Charles was a nursery assistant.
But I didn’t know where she worked, so I went to three pre-schools in West London before I came across the Young England Kindergarten in Pimlico.
With a bit of luck and sunlight, Arthur Edwards captured his most iconic photo of Diana at a Pimlico nurseryThe Sun
I knocked on the door and asked the principal: “Does Lady Diana Spencer work here?” When she said yes, I asked if Diana would pose for a photograph for The Sun.
Diana agreed, but she wanted to have two of the children with her.
Suddenly the sun came out. With the help of God’s light, an ordinary photo became a fabulous picture.
Margaret Thatcher and her cat, 1978
I was sent to Flood Street in Chelsea, where Mrs Thatcher lived when she was leader of the Opposition.
It was the Sunday before the 1978 Tory Conference and The Sun’s Editor asked if I could get a picture of Mrs T writing her speech.
She was known as ‘Thatcher the Milk Snatcher’, but the Iron Lady showed her soft side in 1978 – as Arthur snapped her sharing a quiet moment and a saucer of milk with a catArthur Edwards / The Sun
She looked so young back then and happily posed for a photo. But when she was seeing me off later, a cat jumped up on the wall.
I saw the soft side of our future Prime Minister – who would become known as the Iron Lady – when she almost purred: “Kitty, you want your milk.”
Despite being nicknamed Thatcher the Milk Snatcher when she was Education Secretary and ended free school milk for children, she happily poured some into a saucer for the cat.
It made a couple of brilliant pictures.
David Beckham getting his OBE, 2003
I have photographed David many times, and he has always been a superstar.
Nothing is too much trouble for him.
Arthur Edwards / The SunDavid Beckham kisses Victoria on the nose after getting his OBE in 2003 – a sweet moment captured when she refused to smile for the camera[/caption]
When he received his OBE from the late Queen, I asked his wife Victoria to smile.
But she never does, and she looked at me as if I was asking her for a thousand pounds.
So David just kissed her on the nose, which I thought was lovely, and it made a great picture.
Sir Paul McCartney, 2001
He was promoting some scarves that his wife Linda had designed.
But the photo call at Kew Gardens was so chaotic that he walked away.
Arthur Edwards / The SunSir Paul McCartney pulls a lemon from his pocket and poses with a smile in 2001 – telling Arthur, ‘Call me Macca’[/caption]
Back then, The Sun was starting to print colour pages, and I was desperate for a bright photo that would get into the paper.
So I waited outside the main pavilion until he came out, and I said: “Excuse me, Sir Paul.”
He replied: “Call me Macca.”
When he realised what I wanted, he pulled a lemon out of his pocket and posed happily for this very colourful picture.
Donald Trump, 2016
During his first campaign for the US presidency in 2016, he was at his Turnberry golf course in Scotland.
I tried to get a photo that was different, so I took him with a copy of that day’s Sun.
Arthur Edwards / The SunDonald Trump at Turnberry in 2016 – Arthur secretly thought he didn’t have a prayer of winning the presidency… how wrong can you be?[/caption]
I asked him to take his hat off but he said no, adding that his hair wasn’t good, and he would not do it.
On the plane home, I said to my colleague, The Sun’s Chief Feature Writer Oliver Harvey: “I don’t think he’s got a prayer in the election.”
How wrong can you be?
Prince Charles and Ronald Reagan, 1981
I was in Wellington, New Zealand, at the start of a world tour with Prince Charles when we heard the shocking news that US President Ronald Reagan had been shot.
The royal tour was due to end in Washington DC, and after the assassination attempt, we assumed that leg would be cancelled.
Arthur Edwards / The SunCharles joked about the persistence of the British press, after the snapper asked President Regan to stand for a shot – despite a recent assassination attempt[/caption]
But by the time we had visited Australia and Hawaii, President Reagan had recovered, and his first official meeting was with the prince at the White House.
They were sitting by the fireplace and I asked them both to stand up. Reagan, who was still frail, could not believe what I’d asked.
But Charles stood up and said: “The British press – they are so persistent.”
Prince Philip, the Queen and Zara Phillips in carriage, 1984
Every year Philip competed at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
The Queen and their granddaughter Zara are on his carriage.
Arthur Edwards / The SunPrince Philip competes at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in 1984, with the Queen and granddaughter Zara Phillips cheering from his carriage[/caption]
Philip’s biggest fan was his wife, who suffered every fault and every mistake he made – but when he won, she always cheered the loudest.
Harry and the hand mark, 2015
This is the moment he got his revenge on me for revealing during New Zealand’s breakfast TV that he was losing his hair.
PA:Press AssociationHarry takes his revenge for Arthur revealing the prince’s thinning crown[/caption]
Harry’s purple handed artwork
We were visiting a youth club where the youngsters asked him to do a hand print on the wall in purple paint.
He did – then placed his hand firmly on my head.
Prince Charles with Tom Jones and Lionel Richie, 2019
I seem to have been taking pictures of Tom Jones all my life, from his early days in Wales to last year’s D-Day celebrations in Normandy.
Although he is quite old now, like Elvis, Sir Tom has never lost that fabulous voice.
News Group Newspapers LtdPrince Charles with his great friend Tom Jones and Lionel Richie in Barbados, 2019 – a rare snapshot of music legends and royalty together[/caption]
Lionel Richie is a great friend of the now King Charles. I photographed him at the Coronation concert at Windsor Castle, but I love this picture of the three of them, which I took in Barbados.
Brian May on Buckingham Palace roof, 2002
Queen guitarist playing the National Anthem on the palace roof to open Her Majesty’s Golden Jubilee concert. Genius.
Not many people bothered to photograph it because there was a star-studded line-up to come, including Cliff Richard, Ozzy Osbourne and Paul McCartney.
Arthur Edwards / The SunBrian May rocks Buckingham Palace roof, 2002, playing the National Anthem to kick off the Golden Jubilee concert – a shot that led to friendship and tea with the Queen guitarist[/caption]
Afterwards, Brian asked if he could use my picture of him finishing in triumph – playing the guitar that his dad had made for him – on his social media.
Naturally I said yes, because he had done such a brilliant job under immense pressure.
Later, Brian invited me to tea and we became quite good friends.
Tony and Cherie Blair, 2005
I went along to Downing Street with our political editor Trevor Kavanagh who was interviewing the Prime Minister in the beautiful garden.
Cherie Blair asked for a photo with Tony — Arthur said, ‘Give him a hug’
His wife Cherie asked if they could have a picture together? I said ‘give him a hug’.
They loved the photo so much the Blairs gave a signed copy to every visitor to No10. I’ve got a signed copy of it at home.
Mother Teresa, 1980
Prince Charles went to visit Mother Teresa in Calcutta and pray with her, which of course we couldn’t photograph.
Of all his rich and famoous subjects, Arthur says Mother Theresa was the most humble, compassionate person
But I photographed her these orphans who had been abandoned on the streets and this wonderful woman, who is now a saint, took them in.
Of all the famous people I’ve photographed, she was the most humble, compassionate person. I am so lucky to have met her.
Princess Anne and Gorbachev, 1980
I have been to the Kremlin a few times, including once when I photographer Diana Ross there.
Princess Anne meets President Gorbachev at the Kremlin in 1980
This time I went with Princess Anne who visited the USSR space centre before meeting President Gorbachev.
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