A royal photographer says he was initially told not to capture the moment Prince Andrew escorted Queen Elizabeth to Prince Philip's memorial

• Prince Andrew escorted Queen Elizabeth to a Thanksgiving Service on March 29.
• Photographer Richard Pohle told The Times he was initially told not to photograph the entrance.

A royal photographer told The Times he was initially told not to take photos of Prince Andrew escorting Queen Elizabeth into Westminster Abbey for Prince Philip's memorial service.

On March 29, the royal family attended a Thanksgiving Service to honor the late Duke of Edinburgh, who died at the age of 99 on April 9, 2021.

Andrew escorted the Queen into the event at Westminster Abbey, marking his first public appearance since he privately settled his sexual-assault lawsuit. Virginia Giuffre filed a lawsuit against the royal in August 2021, alleging that he repeatedly assaulted her at Jeffrey Epstein's homes in the early 2000s.

Photos of Andrew's side-by-side appearance with the Queen made headlines following the service, but the royal photographer who took the pictures, Richard Pohle, said he almost wasn't allowed to capture the moment in a new article for The Times.

Pohle wrote for The Times that he was selected to be the royal rota photographer for the event. The royal rota system was created over 40 years ago to coordinate coverage of the royal family, and today gives specific outlets "inside access" to the monarchy, according to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's official website.

Pohle went on to write that at the event, press officers from Buckingham Palace told him he was not to start taking photos until the Queen was seated.

But when Pohle heard Andrew would be escorting the monarch, he told the press representatives that he "needed" the entrance shot, he wrote for The Times.

"I could see them wavering but they repeated that the no picture order 'came from the top' and that 'it wasn't up to them,'" Pohle wrote. The photographer said he then told the pair that the Queen's arrival would be broadcast on BBC, so it should be able to be photographed too.

The representatives then made a phone call, and he was granted permission to capture the entrance, according to Pohle. But Pohle added that he still had to break a rule to ultimately capture the photo.

As Pohle wrote for The Times, the attendees at Westminster Abbey stood up when the Queen arrived, blocking his shot. He said he then walked into the aisle to take the photo he needed.

"Suddenly moving from an official position while on a royal rota is the most cardinal of sins," Pohle said. "I brushed past the press officer and could feel a hand reach out to try and stop me but I rushed past and crouched in the centre of the aisle."

Pohle was able to take the photo he needed, but he went on to say that when he returned to his seat, he passed a "frowning press officer and whispered an apology."

The Queen decided to have her son escort her at the event, going against Prince Charles and Prince William with her choice, according to The Mirror. A source told the Daily Mail that Charles and William were "dismayed" by the Queen's decision.

Buckingham Palace, The Times, and Pohle did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.