Devoted Sussex royal watcher reveals secrets of the Queen’s smile ... and more

But a Sussex woman has had so many that she could be forgiven for not remembering them all.

Julia McCarthy-Fox - dubbed Britain’s most devoted royal watcher - has been photographing the royal family for decades.

And, as the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne approaches on Sunday (February 6), Julia - who lives in Southwater near Horsham - reveals some of her special memories - along with secrets of the Queen’s smile.

“I have been lucky enough to spend the second half of this remarkable reign following and photographing our Queen throughout the United Kingdom and beyond,” said royal super-fan Julia.

“I have witnessed first hand some of the most memorable days and events.

“I have photographed Her Majesty on major birthdays and anniversaries, including the 50th and 60th anniversaries of her accession to the throne, and her Golden and Diamond wedding anniversaries, the latter in Valetta in Malta, and on hundreds of other engagements too.

“I have watched her both on and off duty and met her on many occassions.

“While she is undoubtedly one of, if not the, most photographed monarchs in history the Queen has managed to maintain an air of mystery, with very little widely known about her as a real person.

“We know that she loves horses, and until very recently was still riding regularly, and her devotion to her corgis has been well documented - but little is written about her interest in racing pigeons and gun dogs, which remains largely unknown outside the relevant circles, and this is how it should be.

“Once we know everything about someone they lose their mystery and magic, both of which are important features of a monarch, especially one of the Queen’s generation.”

But Julia says she has gained an insight into the Queen’s personality after watching her closely over the years.

“The Queen has two very different smiles, the fixed one that she wears when she thinks that she should smile because she is the Queen, for example as she is being driven through a crowd in her car, and the real one, that lights up her eyes and makes them twinkle when she spots someone she knows in a crowd.

“I have been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of that smile many times and it is very special.

“When the Queen is off duty at a horse show or racecourse she has a way of switching off from the crowds and acts as if they are simply not there, concentrating on the people she knows around her and enjoying what she is there for.

“She is very animated in conversation about her horses, and will stand patiently watching an entire class at a horse show if she has an entry, swiftly collecting any rosettes that are won afterwards!

“I have an amusing mental image of a huge wall somewhere inside Windsor Castle covered in rosettes like a young pony-mad girl’s bedroom wall.

“At the races the Queen visits her horses prior to the start and watches them carefully in the parade ring before chatting with her jockeys - she can then become very excited during the race, especially towards the end, and her face when her horse wins has the very broadest smile of delight.

“Presenting polo trophies to players after a match is another job that is always carried out with twinkling eyes.

“On walkabouts Her Majesty has no idea who she will come face to face with, but is gracious to everyone, and accepts crumpled garden flowers in kitchen foil from tiny hands alongside the expensive official presentation bouquets, with thanks and a smile.

“One day my son, then aged about six, insisted on giving her a very shiny conker that he had polished with his gloves, and this was taken by her very carefully and gently placed inside a bunch of flowers ‘for safekeeping’.

“Another time my young godson solemnly handed over a very battered rose, which had been carried all the way to Edinburgh, only for the head to dramatically fall to the floor as the Queen took it from him, leaving her with just the stem in her hand.

“At this she looked first at him, then at the flower on the ground, grinned at him and assured him that ‘it doesn’t matter. It’s the thought that counts.’

“There are two comments that are most frequently heard in a crowd after the Queen has left - one is about how small she is, which always surprises people, the other is about her smile.

“People’s perception, because of the photos that are most commonly used of her after events, which are all that they have to go by, is that she has a serious look, and so they are astonished to see her smile.

“It is also the thing most commonly commented on when people look at my photos, because it is unexpected.

“For 70 years Queen Elizabeth II has had a most extraordinary job, one that she continues to do, and one that she has carried out through years of enormous change in the world, and throughout that time the one thing that I believe has not changed has been her smile.

For as long as she is still smiling we are very lucky to have her.”

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