Brown was recognized by the Royal Collection Trust for her "unpretentious technique, working at speed, using only available light, and for working in black and white rather than color."
Queen Elizabeth's death announcement was accompanied by a stunning photo of the late monarch, in all her glory.
The Queen passed away on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96, and the news of her demise was shared by the palace on Twitter and Instagram with a stunning black-and-white portrait of the longest-reigning British monarch, taken more than 15 years ago as she celebrated a major milestone, according to PEOPLE.
"The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," the statement read. "The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow."
The beautiful photo of the Queen was taken in 2006, on her 80th birthday, by late photographer Jane Bown, who was 81 at the time. "Queen Elizabeth II selected Jane Bown to take a photographic portrait at the start of her eightieth birthday year," reads a description of the image by the Royal Collection Trust (RCT). "Bown (a fellow octogenarian) worked as a professional photographer since the late 1940s."
Not only was the image featured in Bown's 2009 book Exposures, it was also a part of the Royal Collection Trust's exhibit The Queen: 60 Photographs for 60 Years celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Brown was recognized by the Royal Collection Trust for her "unpretentious technique, working at speed, using only available light, and for working in black and white rather than color."
Brown, who died in December 2014, at the age of 89, once said,"I spent my whole life worrying about time and light. If I had time it was something, but if I had light it was even better," according to The Independent:
The late photographer had several accolades to boast of. Brown, who worked for The Observer since 1949, was awarded an MBE in 1985 and a CBE in 1995, in addition to an honorary fellowship at the Royal Photographic Society in 2000.
Queen Elizabeth once called her an artist at her 1995 CBE ceremony, to which Bown responded: "I am not an artist, I'm just a hack."
The Queen's death comes over a year after the demise of her beloved husband, Prince Phillip, who died in April 2021. Her health had been in a bad shape since October 2021, but her death comes as a shock to millions over the world who are now grieving the loss.
She is succeeded immediately by her eldest son, King Charles III, 73, who is now the ruling monarch.
References:
https://people.com/royals/queen-elizabeth-death-story-behind-photo-used-announce-news/
https://www.rct.uk/queen-elizabeth-II
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Steve Parsons
