Annie Leibovitz was invited to photograph Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2007. She took four portraits that day—and would photograph the queen a second time, at Windsor Castle in 2016. Here are her memories of her first, historic sitting.
I wanted a straightforward, intelligent portrait. I thought that this would be my only chance to photograph the queen, and I was allotted less than half an hour. They showed me catalogs of her clothes and jewelry and asked me to pick what she would wear. I picked a long gold dress as a base. The rest—the dark cloak that Cecil Beaton photographed her in, and the Order of the Garter robe, and a fur coat—would be layered on top of it and removed for the different pictures.
The queen arrived late, not in a terribly good mood, and was wearing a tiara, which wasn’t in my plan (the tiara was supposed to come later in the shoot). I asked if she could remove it so that the image would be simpler. “Less dressy” was how I put it. “Less dressy!” the queen replied. “What do you think this is?”
This story is from the November 2022 edition of Vogue US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 2022 edition of Vogue US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Nothing Like Her
Billie Eilish was adored by millions before she fully understood who she was. Now, as she sets out on tour without her family for the first time, she is finally getting to know herself.
Coming Up Rosy - The new blush isn't just for the cheek. Coco Mellors feels the flush.
If the eyes are the window to the soul, then our cheeks are the back door. What other part of the body so readily reveals our hidden emotions? Embarrassment, exuberance, delight, desire, all instantly communicated with a rush of blood. It's no wonder that blush has been a mainstay of makeup bags for decades: Ancient Egyptians used ground ochre to heighten their color; Queen Elizabeth I dabbed her cheeks with red dye and mercuric sulfide (which, combined with the vinegar and lead concoction she used to achieve her ivory pallor, is believed to have given her blood poisoning); flappers applied blush in dramatic circles to achieve a doll-like complexion, even adding it to their knees to draw attention to their shorter hemlines
Different Stages
A trio of novels spirits you far away.
The Wizard
Paul Tazewell’s costumes for the film adaptation of Wicked conjure their own kind of magic.
THE SEA, THE SEA
A story of survival on a whaling ship sets sail on Broadway. Robert Sullivan meets the crew behind the rousing folk musical Swept Away.
STAGING A COMEBACK
Harlem's National Black Theatre has been a storied arts institution in need of support. A soaring new home is shaping its future.
Simon Says
Simon Porte Jacquemus, much like his label, resonates with the sunny, breezy French South-but behind the good life, as Nathan Heller discovers, is a laser focus and a shoulder-to-the-wheel work ethic.
MOTHER SUPERIOR
The character of Rose in Gypsy is the acting Everest for many one-name acting legends. This fall, Audra McDonald takes it on.
WALK THIS WAY
THE FASHION FOR OUR FUTURE MARCH HAD A SINGULAR PURPOSE: TO GET OUT THE VOTE.
Written in Stones (and Etched in Metal)
Three years after taking the reins at Bottega Veneta, Matthieu Blazy unveils his first fine jewelry collection.
