Warren Harrison former Northern Advocate and NZ Herald photographer who took photos of the Queen to be used on NZ Post's 1977 Jubilee anniversary stamps. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Warren Harrison former Northern Advocate and NZ Herald photographer who took photos of the Queen to be used on NZ Post's 1977 Jubilee anniversary stamps. Photo / Michael Cunningham
When Whangārei photographer Warren Harrison was called into the editor's office in the Times of London newspaper in late 1976 he thought he might be in trouble for having a minor prang in the company car.
Harrison managed to get his mea culpa out before the editor informed him that actually, it was for a special assignment.
He'd been chosen by the New Zealand High Commission in London to take photographs of Queen Elizabeth II to be used on NZ stamps to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee in February the following year.
''My first thought was panic, but also excitement - I was going to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace and take her photograph, it was so exciting," Harrison said.
Out of the thousands of photographs Harrison took throughout his long career - first as a cadet photographer with the Northern Advocate in 1964, then to the NZ Herald and on to the Times for about 16 years - those ones of the Queen are among the ones he is most proud of and the ones that have been seen more than any others.
The death of The Queen on Friday brought the one-on-one encounter flooding back, along with overwhelming sadness at her death.
But the photo shoot itself was not without its drama as the Queen interrupted the shoot to rush to the window after they heard a loud screech of brakes and a crash outside Buckingham Palace.
''As any normal person would have done the Queen moved from her seat with me following to the nearest window to view the accident outside," Harrison said.
"I was impressed with her reaction and despite all the usual royal pomp and ceremony I realised there was a kind caring person looking out of the window beside me who said, 'I do hope no one's been injured' before we moved back to the photo session.''
The session had a nervous beginning for Harrison who had been briefed on the protocol to meet the Queen.
He was escorted down the Long Hall past memorabilia and masterpieces of artworks by the dozen.
''[There were] some very scary statues and life-like busts from the past staring in my direction from English royal history. I wondered whose footsteps I may have been walking in and what ghosts lurked behind the many closed doors I passed," Harrison said.
He awaited the Queen's arrival at the Blue Room chosen especially for the sitting.
"After being reminded by the Queen's equerry to bow and only speak after being spoken to when she arrived I was duly left alone with my shaking knees.
But the "starchy equerry" left the room and Harrison was soon put at ease when Her Majesty arrived, smiled, and asked where he was from.
''I remember her asking about my home town, Whangārei, which she had visited and how did I enjoy living in London," he said.
"I think I mumbled a few silly replies to which she laughed but added London was special and I agreed. Whangārei was a different matter altogether."
The NZ Mail stamps commemorating Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee that used photographs taken by Whangārei photographer Warren Harrison. Photo / Supplied
Looking back on the photo shoot, Harrison remembered being awe-struck by photographing the Queen in a private setting but also being in Buckingham Palace alone without the usual press pack to deal with.
He did, though, almost make one amazing faux pas that he believes could have seen him sent to the Tower of London.
"Her [lady in waiting] had put her coronet on her head for the photo shoot and it wasn't in the right spot so I instinctively went to grab it to move it.
"Luckily I managed to stop. I said 'excuse me, Your Majesty, do you think you could put your coronet back slightly on your head please' and she said 'that's a nice idea' and did it. I think I may have been taken to the tower if I'd moved it myself.''
Harrison still doesn't know exactly why he was chosen to take the photos but was pleased he was tasked with the assignment.
''I didn't really have a brief [on what photographs to take] but I knew it was for stamps so thought it would be bold, head and shoulder shots - it would have been a disaster if I'd ruined it by only taken full frame shots, but it worked out really well."
Harrison did go on to photograph many of the royal family over the 16 years whilst at The Times and once or twice he felt acknowledged as Her Majesty passed by.
