Royal Family's Stylist & Photographer Find Love, Now Welcoming First Child
My wife and I love nothing more than curling up on the couch together to watch a good British television drama. “Downton Abbey” and “The Paradise,” “Victoria” and “The Crown,” “Poldark” and “Upstairs, Downstairs” — we love them all.
Part of the appeal, I think, is how foreign and strange the social structures seem. We’re Americans, and so the idea of this rigid barrier between the upper classes and the lower classes intrigues us.
And one thing we like about these shows is how they portray the universal human experience in all of their characters, how they’re essentially the same no matter what level of the social strata they occupy. It’s a dynamic we’re seeing play out even in real life.
Consider the relationship that has unfolded between Chris Jackson and Natasha Archer.
They may not be household names in the States. However, fans of the British royal family should very well recognize who they are. Jackson is the royal photographer, the man who captures images of the intimate moments of their lives.
Ever wonder how Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, manages to look so effortlessly stylish while juggling three children, philanthropic endeavors, and regal protocol? Archer, her style adviser, is her secret weapon.
“Initially Kate was a reluctant fashion icon, but now she enjoys it,” an anonymous source once explained to Vanity Fair. “Tash (Archer’s in-palace nickname) helps source some of the clothes.
“She shops a lot for Kate online and calls in hundreds of dresses for Kate to try on. She has persuaded Kate to take some more risks.”
For his part, Jackson also pushed the Royal family in some unexpected directions. Many of his photos are every bit as formal as you might expect for a dynasty that has lasted for 1,200 years.
Some, though, show an unexpected playfulness, particularly when they involve the Royal children. He captured 4-year-old Prince George’s wide-grinned birthday portrait, as well as his hand-in-hand descent down the stairs of Kensington Palace as he made his way to his first day of school.
Only in a storybook could the royal stylist and royal photographer fall in love — right? Well, in the case of Jackson and Archer, that’s exactly what happened.
Romance bloomed, and in September 2016, Jackson popped the question. “I’m definitely punching above my weight,” he wrote on Instagram.
They wed in a private ceremony in France on the weekend of the sixth anniversary of Will and Kate’s union. Appropriately, Archer wore a gown remarkably reminiscent of the Duchess’ dress, but left off the tiara.
Now the couple is sharing even better news. On his Instagram account, Jackson shared a photo with the caption, “And in other exciting news …”
It showed a radiant Archer standing in a grassy field, her head bowed and a smile on her face. A floral print dress tightly hugged her evident baby bump.
Babies are truly a blessing. We wish both Jackson and Archer all the best!
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