Queen Elizabeth Hated Her Hands, Royal Photographer Reveals

The late Queen Elizabeth II requested to have a significant part of her body hidden during a photoshoot, claiming that she "didn't like" it, a royal photographer has revealed.

Rankin, 56, one of the 10 royal photographers invited to take the longest-serving Queen's picture during her Golden Jubilee in 2002, revealed in the "Tea With Twiggy" podcast that the late Queen did not like her hands.

The photographer shared that he wanted the Queen to pose while holding a sword, but the latter turned down his request saying, "I don't like my hands," before proceeding with the shoot.

When asked about his experience with the Queen, Rankin responded, "She came in, and this wave of empowerment washes over you. I've never felt that aura, and she was just so funny from the minute she walked in."

"I was like, 'I really want to photograph you holding the sword,' and she said, 'I don't like my hands.' [I thought] that's the best 'get out' for holding the sword. I'm probably not supposed to say that [she disliked her hands], but what I loved about her is she's so smart and everything in response that she was saying had this amazing twist to it," he added before describing Queen Elizabeth as a "brilliant" woman.

Despite the late Queen's hesitation, Rankin, who worked with well-known models and celebrities, including Kate Moss, the Spice Girls, Madonna, Britney Spears and many others, was later contacted by Buckingham Palace, informing him that the picture he took to celebrate the Queen's fifty year-reign was one of the palace's favorites because the Queen was "smiling so much."

"I got a really amazing note where the curator said my photograph of her is one of their favorites - which I think means the Palace's favorite - because she's really laughing in my picture," Rankin said.

Rankin's photo showed the Queen beaming at the camera while wearing bright pink lipstick in front of a Union Jack flag, The Times reported.

Further in the interview, Rankin revealed the inspiration for taking the Queen's photo, sharing that he wanted to capture a portrait of her smiling and laughing, which he had witnessed before the shoot.

"I was in the throne room, and she was walking down this corridor, and I could see her and the footman walking. They were both laughing, just cracking up, and I was like, 'That's what I want.' So that was in my head the whole time," he explained in the interview recorded before the Queen's death on Sept. 8.

Queen Elizabeth seemingly made it a point to hide her hands in photos despite being in the limelight for years throughout her reign. According to Telegraph, the Queen was mostly spotted in public wearing gloves while fulfilling her royal duties.

Interestingly, she owned over 40 to 50 pairs of the infamous Cornelia James gloves since receiving her first pair in 1940. She also kept a spare in her handbag, Genevieve James, the daughter of the late Cornelia James, told Hello! magazine.