French photographer Jean Pierre Laffont has offered a personal and thoughtful look at his long relationship with King Charles.
Jean has shared his memories of photographing the monarch for more than five decades, from his first royal visits as a young prince to his historic role today as king.
During the recent state visit, Laffont recalled his first meeting with Charles on July 16, 1970 in Washington DC, when the then Prince of Wales visited the White House at the invitation of President Richard Nixon.
In his recollections, Nixon even mused about a possible royal match with his daughter Tricia, which has long circulated in accounts of the visit.
The photographer also referenced a second mission in 1986 during Harvard University’s 350th anniversary celebrations in Cambridge, where Charles gave a speech at the prestigious commemorations.
Reflecting on our times, Laffont wrote that although he had “never cared for the English royal family,” he always found Charles “intelligent and amusing.”
He added that the king’s recent speech to the US Congress was “brilliant” and “refreshing” because of its focus on climate change, global stability, NATO cooperation and the war in Ukraine.
The remarks come as Charles concludes a high-profile state visit to the United States, during which he addressed Congress to standing ovations and participated in diplomatic meetings in Washington DC, New York and Virginia.
