Celebrity photographer Patrick Demarchelier has died at the age of 78

• Patrick Demarchelier died on Thursday at the age of 78.
• The French-born celebrity and fashion photographer was known for his portraits of Princess Diana.

Patrick Demarchelier, the celebrity and fashion photographer, has died at the age of 78.

Demarchelier's death was announced in a statement posted to his official Instagram account on Thursday, alongside a series of photos of the photographer.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Patrick Demarchelier on March 31st 2022, at the age of 78," the statement reads. "He is survived by his wife Mia, his three sons Gustaf, Arthur, Victor and three grandchildren."

His cause of death was not disclosed in the statement.

The French-born photographer was well known for his celebrity portraits, including of Princess Diana, Madonna, Kate Moss, and Beyoncé, according to the Dail Mail.

He received his first camera as a teenager and moved to Paris when he was 20 to start his career, according to Vogue. He relocated to New York in 1975, the publication adds.

He became a personal portraitist of the late Princess Diana, who discovered his previous work on the cover of Vogue, the publication reports. According to the Daily Mail, he was asked by Diana to become her official portraitist, making him the first non-British royal photographer of the British royal family.

"We became friends. She was funny and kind – but fundamentally she was a very simple woman who liked very simple things," Demarchelier told The Telegraph of his working relationship with Diana in 2008.

One of the most famous photographs he took of the princess was a black and white image of her in a strapless dress wearing a tiara.

He was also referenced in the 2006 movie, "The Devil Wears Prada," starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep.

In 2018, Demarchelier was the subject of sexual-assault allegations, according to CNN. The outlet reports that he was one of several prominent figures to be accused of sexual assault in an investigative report by the Boston Globe. Seven people, who spoke anonymously to the publication, including several models and an assistant, accused Demarchelier of misconduct.

Condé Nast, which owns Vogue, released the following response to the allegations: "We have informed Patrick we will not be working with him for the foreseeable future," according to Vogue.

Demarchelier denied the allegations, telling the Boston Globe that "people lie and they tell stories," and that he had "never, never, never" inappropriately touched a model, CNN reports.

Celebrities and those who worked with Demarchelier have made public tributes after the news of his death.

Bella Hadid posted a photo on Instagram of herself and Chu Wong on the cover of Vogue China, shot by Demarchelier in 2017.

She wrote: "I am grateful to have been lucky enough to be in front of your lens. Most gentle , most legendary , soft but full of life . You will be missed Patrick. Rest In Peace."

Haily Beiber shared a photo of herself hugging Demarchelier on her Instagram story, while Cindy Crawford shared a selection of photos of herself shot by Demarchelier.

Crawford captioned the Instagram post: "Rest In Peace, @patrickdemarchelier. Thanks for so many great memories and beautiful, timeless images."