A royal photographer reveals his favorite photos of King Charles and Queen Elizabeth that show the close bond they shared

"This image is a favorite of mine as it captures a typical mother-and-son relationship," Rooke told Insider via email. "A mother on the sideline watching her son playing on a muddy sports field. There are no other distractions — it's just a lovely authentic moment between the two. Despite the setting, the Queen still looks immaculate, which does make for a fun contrast."

"Both the Queen and King Charles shared an excellent sense of humor, something that when the time was right you are lucky enough to see," Rooke said.

"I love how relaxed they look — they're just enjoying each other's company in a country they both hold so fondly," Rooke said of photographing the royals at the event.

"Over the years, the Braemar Highland Gatherings always gave me amazing opportunities to capture the personality of the royals," he said.

"Although remembering the anniversary of D-Day is a somber occasion, any military affair always brings out stunning attire," he said. "I just love this bright green outfit the Queen wore for the 70th D-Day anniversary back in 2014 ... It creates such a contrast to the men in their military uniforms."

"What is so special about any royal engagements around World War II is the fact that Queen Elizabeth joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service during the war and served as a mechanic and truck driver," Rooke said. "She became Queen just seven years after the war ended, so her connection to the war is so apparent on occasions such as these through her raw emotion, and it was always beautiful to see. I also feel like these images really demonstrate the devotion to service these two people have given throughout their lifetimes and the attention they give to every event and every person they meet."

"Their smiles and expressions are so similar. It also reminds you that the Royal Family is, at the end of the day, just a family," he said. "Capturing those moments when that family resemblance is so clear is fun as I know it's something the public always likes to analyze — as we do with our own family photos!"

"It feels hard to comprehend right now that I have been back there this week to witness the procession of her coffin," Rooke told Insider in the days after Queen Elizabeth's funeral. "I, of course, didn't know at the time of taking this photo that this could become such a memorable moment for me. It feels particularly poignant that the last time I captured her on camera she was standing alongside our future King. And no doubt she was smiling!"