Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is continuing to lie low following his arrest on 19 February on suspicion of misconduct in public office. But long before he was stripped of his royal titles, the brother of King Charles pursued a project that took him away from his royal duties.
The former Duke of York was said to be “very serious about his photography” revealed photographer Gene Nocon in 2011, according to a new Daily Mail report. He went on to work as Andrew’s technical assistant with the aim of nurturing his “instinctive aesthetic eye”.
© GettyAndrew released a book of photographs he had taken
Andrew shares his personal photos
Andrew was allegedly encouraged by a small number of individuals to share his passion with the world, leading him to release a photography book in 1995.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesAndrew took up photography in the 90s
The book, Photographs: Andrew, Prince Duke of York, was described in the foreword as “a small slice of autobiography recording memories and impressions through my eyes and the lens of a camera”.
The former prince added: “This is a book by me, tyro-photographer, rather than by me, member of the Royal Family,’ wrote the former prince.” The book featured members of the Royal Family, as well as actress Finola Hughes.
A poor reception
The project was not received well by critics, with the Los Angeles Times branding the book “sad and pathetic”. At the time, criticism was particularly directed at two photos of a young Prince Harry – one featuring the young royal seen holding a bucket and spade while on a royal tour aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia and a second that saw Harry sitting on a swing during the same trip.
Tim Hughes, who was then the associate editor of the British Journal of Photography, described the images of Harry as “technically very poor”.
© Getty ImagesAndrew struggled to defend the book
Meanwhile, of the image of Harry on a swing, Professor John Hedgecoe, head of photography at the London School of Art, said: “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,’ said Kodak’s head of customer relations.”
Andrew’s attempts at a defence
Andrew struggled to defend the book in the face of such prolific criticism. Speaking from Buckingham Palace, the middle child of the late Queen said he believed the “point” of the images of his nephew “had been missed” by the public, adding: “A small baby, what was everybody expecting? Were they expecting a Snowdon-like portrait? I’m not that brilliant.”
It’s not the first hobby Andrew has abandoned. It was reported shortly after his arrest that he was being advised to stop riding his horse around the Sandringham estate for fear that his being seen enjoying this pastime was a “bad look”.