Trusted ‘Reg’ kept royals in the picture
PHOTOGRAPHER to the rich, famous and the Royal Family for more than 50 years, Reginald Davis built up such a rapport with his subjects that he went far beyond the role of talented snapper and for many became a trusted friend.
It was the reason those in front of the camera felt comfortable enough in his presence to lower their guards and share a joke, all of which helped create some stunning pictures.
Once on a royal visit to Yugoslavia, Davis wagered a drink with Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon his scheduled flight would beat the royal plane to London.
At Heathrow the couple stepped off the plane to find Davis at the bottom of the stairs waiting to take their photograph. He later collected his winnings at Kensington Palace.
But he also witnessed celebrity tantrums, from actress Elizabeth Taylor who took to editing his pictures to the Duke of Edinburgh who was not amused when Davis showed up at a dinner.
Then there was the most difficult royal he ever faced: Princess Grace of Monaco. “She only agreed to a private audience as I previously had a private audience with the Queen,” he recalled. Asking her to play the piano she flatly refused claiming she couldn’t play a note.
“Then of course she lifts the lid and plays like a concert pianist.”
Born in North London, Davis was evacuated to Cambridge in the war and attended Emmanuel College.
In March 1943 he was called up and trained as a Fleet Air Arm photographer with the Royal Navy.
After the war Davis worked at a small press agency before joining this newspaper in 1949.
Initially covering news stories on the night shift he was soon assigned to photograph celebrities at premieres and royal functions.
His big break came in 1959 when he was asked to photograph the Queen, who would come to know Davis fondly as Reg. What followed was a whirlwind career, travelling the world on more than 50 state visits, gaining unprecedented access into the lives of the Royal Family.
In 2008 he was awarded an MBE. He published 10 books, the last My Life Photographing Royalty And The Famous, in 2017. He is survived by wife Audrey, daughter Marilyn and son-in-law Jonathan.