A remarkable archive of over 4,000 candid photographs of the Royal family taken over four decades and away from the public gaze has come to light.
The fascinating images were taken by Royal photographer John Scott who was given unprecedented access to the Royals from the 1950s to the 1980s. Among the incredible unseen slides and relaxed photos are images of Prince Charles meeting the cast of the US TV show MASH and the Queen in a relaxed group with Lord Louis Mountbatten at a horse show.
Through the incredible archive it is possible to watch the Royal family grow up from childhood to maturity through the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.
One fascinating image shows a young Prince Andrew, aged about 12, stood opposite his future wife Sarah Ferguson while his little brother Prince Edward joyfully plays with the Queen’s niece Sarah Armstrong-Jones, now Lady Sarah Chatto. Stood in the same picture are the Queen and Sarah’s older sister Jane Ferguson.
Another photo shows a bearded Prince Charles, aged in his 20s, on horseback looking strikingly similar to his son Prince Harry. There are also dozens of informal snaps of Princess Anne, Princess Margaret and Prince Philip.
Scott lived an extraordinary life himself as he was a Yugoslavian aristocrat who fled his native Serbia during the Second World War after it was occupied by the Nazis. His actual name was Colonel Vassa Voynovich and he commanded a platoon on the Russian front aged just 17 during the First World War.
He arrived in London via Paris on a train reserved for German generals, smuggling important intelligence reports in 1941 and became the private secretary of King Peter of Yugoslavia, who was also living in exile in a suite at the luxury hotel Claridge’s.
He spent several years serving King Peter before setting himself up as a photographer. Voynovich took his small Leica camera everywhere he went and often his hosts at weekend country house parties would invite him to take pictures.
Before long, the young Princess Elizabeth saw some of these pictures of her friends as he was a friend of Sir ‘Jock’ Colville, her private secretary. Through Colville, Elizabeth requested Voynovich photograph her in uniform during one of her first Trooping the Colour ceremonies.
The success of this photograph launched his photographic career and he changed his name to John Scott to help him get work.
The auction takes place on June 14.
One fascinating image shows a young Prince Andrew, aged about 12, (wearing a purple jumper_ stood opposite his future wife Sarah Ferguson (in red jumper) while his little brother Prince Edward joyfully plays with the Queen’s niece Sarah Armstrong-Jones, now Lady Sarah Chatto. Stood in the same picture are the Queen and Sarah’s older sister Jane Ferguson
The Queen, then a young Princess Elizabeth, is captured in this candid pose at Balmoral in Scotland in the early 1950s. The incredible archive was passed by Scott to his assistant Judy Appelbee. He persuaded her to pose for him and that started a 30-year partnership with Judy helping Scott in front of and behind the camera. Judy retired to Cornwall with her husband and when Scott died in 1986 he left his photographic collection to her. Now aged in her 80s, she has decided to consign the archive for sale with the Penzance auctioneer David Lay and it is tipped to sell for £10,000
Among the collection are dozens of snaps of a young Princess Anne, often with her horses and her family. Last year she was crowned the ‘busiest royal’ for the second time after clocking up 455 official engagements in 2017. Anne put her younger family members to shame with a dizzying roster of UK gala dinners, receptions and charity events – as well as a further 85 engagements overseas
Prince Charles, in muddy polo gear, speaks to one of his dogs at Smiths Lawn Polo Ground Windsor in the 1970s. In 2005, and after 40 years and quite a few fractures, the Prince of Wales announced his retirement from polo – the sport he once described as ‘my one great extravagance’. He played in matches from the age of 15 and watched his father play as a child
This incredibly candid snap of the Queen relaxing on the grass with Lord Louis Mountbatten (left) at a horse event shows how remarkably unruffled she could be. Surrounded by the public she watched the action despite a photographer in the crowd angling his camera down at her and taking snaps
The picture that made him: A young Princess Elizabeth saw some of Colonel Vassa Voynovich’s pictures of her friends as he was a friend of Sir ‘Jock’ Colville, her private secretary. Through Colville, Elizabeth requested he photograph her in uniform during one of her first Trooping the Colour ceremonies. The success of this photograph launched his photographic career and he changed his name to John Scott to help him get work
Another photo shows a bearded Prince Charles, aged in his 20s, on horseback looking strikingly similar to his son Prince Harry. The fascinating images were taken by Royal photographer John Scott who was given unprecedented access to the Royals from the 1950s to the 1980s
Prince Philip cooling off after a Polo match. Scott, an ex-cavalry officer with equestrian expertise, was at home capturing Ascot, Badminton and the Windsor Horse Show, and shared the Royals’ passion for horses. He was also extremely charming, spoke 10 languages and his diplomatic experience meant he was suave and comfortable around royalty
A young Prince Charles meets the cast of hit US series MASH as part of a two week visit to the US in October 1977. He attended a lunch held at the 20th Century Fox studio in Hollywood, California, where he met film royalty such as Cary Grant, Charlton Heston and Lauren Bacall, along with the cast of M*A*S*H – most of whom were still in costume. According to a Mash fan site, he watched an episode of the series being filmed along with an episode of Charlie’s Angels
Candid snap of Andrew and Edward from the 1970’s. Auctioneer David Lay, who is selling the archive, said: ‘During my many years as an auctioneer we have handled quite a few photographic collections but this is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable archives I have ever seen. In the UK and indeed many other parts of the world, the fascination with the British Royals is unwavering and here we have an archive that documents four decades of their lives’
A smiling Queen at Balmoral in the early 1950’s. Auctioneer Mr Lay added: ‘The breadth and quality of the images is superb so really it is unparalleled in my experience. Looking through all the images in this archive, covering almost 40 years, it is possible to see the Royal family grow up before ones eyes. Everything is here, from childhood to maturity, diplomatic Royal engagements with all their pomp and ceremony to unguarded family moments between the Queen and her children. It is an astonishing collection of images’
Princess Margaret with Lord Snowdon and Prince Andrew.A remarkable archive of over 4,000 photos of the Royals taken over four decades by a trusted photographer has emerged for sale for £10,000.The photos include iconic snaps of Prince Charles and Princess Diana on honeymoon as well as intimate shots of the Queen and other prominent Royals relaxing
A very young Katharine Worsely, the Duchess of Kent. The Duchess, now 85, met Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the eldest son of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, while he was based at Catterick Camp. On June 8 1961, the couple married at York Minster and Princess Anne was one of the bridesmaids. Guests included actors Noël Coward and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as well as members of the British, Greek, Danish, Norwegian, Yugoslavian, Romanian and Spanish royal families. The Duchess later gained attention for her conversion to Catholicism in 1994, the first member of the Royal Family to convert publicly since the passing of the Act of Settlement 1701
Scott (pictured) lived an extraordinary life himself as he was a Yugoslavian aristocrat who fled his native Serbia during the Second World War after it was occupied by the Nazis. His actual name was Colonel Vassa Voynovich and he commanded a platoon on the Russian front aged just 17 during the First World War. An ex-cavalry officer with equestrian expertise, he was at home capturing Ascot, Badminton and the Windsor Horse Show, and shared the Royals’ passion for horses. He was also extremely charming, spoke 10 languages and his diplomatic experience meant he was suave and comfortable around royalty