Chris Jackson's name may not be instantly familiar, but there's a good chance you'd recognise some of the iconic pictures he's taken of the British royal family.

In recent years, the respected royal photographer has captured some of the most memorable images - including shots of then newlyweds Prince William and Princess Catherine stepping out from Westminster Abbey on their 2011 wedding day, and the elegant 70th birthday portrait of King Charles III.

Chris spoke to Daily Mail about how his position has given him a unique front-row seat to numerous historic moments - and his most memorable moments behind the lens.

When asked to describe what it's like behind the scenes as a royal photographer, Chris explained that 'things don't always go to plan, which is quite fun'.

'I remember Queen Elizabeth said that she quite liked it when things didn't go to plan,' he recalled.

Chris recounted some examples he's witnessed over the years - from something as simple as an umbrella turning inside out, or larger moments like a communication misunderstanding between the monarch and various international world leaders.

'It's all part of it,' he said. 

'And I think people like the Queen and now the King are very adept at handling these moments and making sure things never feel awkward for their hosts or the people they're meeting.'

'One of the things I like most about royal photography is that it really is about what's happening right in front of you - and some of it is out of your control. Not being able to control what you're capturing heightens the sense of anticipation and excitement. There's this feeling of not knowing what could happen next.' 

The Getty photographer has just launched his book, Modern Majesty, which will be available online from April 16 and in stores from June 16 and includes his most memorable royal photos along with never-before-seen pictures. 

Putting it together gave Chris the chance to reflect on some of his most memorable images from over the years.

Among them is the powerful image of Princess Catherine sitting alone in a car wearing a mask at the funeral of Prince Philip in 2021.

Taken outside Windsor Castle during the height of COVID-19 restrictions, the striking, and almost haunting image of the future queen is teeming with emotion, capturing a unique moment in world history as well as a period of change for the royal family.

'The picture of Catherine with the mask at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral seems to resonate with people. I've had a lot of comments on it,' Chris said.

'I'm not a big fan of photographing people in masks, because often it hides emotion. But for this particular photo, it was unique, because you felt like there was something being said through her eyes, and the fact she had a mask on kind of isolated her eyes in that moment.'

Chris added that he was especially pleased with the editing decision to transform the image into black and white.

'I think it's very stark. It's very emotional,' he reflected. 'It's something that resonates with people, and I think perhaps they see it as symbolic of the future.'

At the other end of the spectrum, Chris smiles as he remembers another of his instantly recognisable images: the joyous faces of newlyweds William and Catherine, just moments after they tied the knot.

'Again, it's capturing a moment in history. That's what makes this job so unique,' he said.

'It's not about it being a "great" photo, it's about catching a moment. A good royal photo is that moment in history, and it will become part of the archive, to be examined and referred to for decades to come. '

Years of working as a trusted photographer have afforded Chris the rare chance to get to know the different personalities of the senior royal family members.

'I have such great memories of photographing Queen Elizabeth, and I was lucky enough to do some official portraits of her. She was incredible and iconic, with an amazing presence.

'Time moves on and now we've got King Charles and Queen Camilla - and I do a lot of work with them.

'I love working with the current queen - she's got a wonderful sense of humour, is fantastic to photograph and always positive.

'The king is great at meeting people - he forms an immediate connection and has obviously got very good at it over the years. He's very warm and always has a great sense of humour.'

Chris also had nothing but positive things to say about his experiences of working with the next generation leaders of the royal family in Prince William and Princess Catherine. 

'William - I've really enjoyed working with him on Earthshot events particularly because he's super passionate about that. It's really grown into something incredible.

'I've watched him grow into a global statesman and grow within his role, which has been great to see.

'And with Catherine, people always talk a lot about her style, but she's also deeply passionate about the advocacy she does on the early years of childhood.'