EXCLUSIVE: Why Pregnant Princess Diana Bikini Photo Is Famed Royal Photographer's Biggest Regret
A royal photographer revealed why Diana's pregnant bikini photo was his biggest regret.
Nov. 7 2026, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Veteran royal photographer Arthur Edwards has revealed photographing Princess Diana in a bikini while she was pregnant with Prince William remains one of the two biggest regrets of his career, despite the picture becoming one of the most remarkable images of the royal era.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the 86-year-old, who has spent more than 50 years documenting the House of Windsor, has revisited the episode in his new book, Cup of Tea, Arthur?.
Diana's Bikini Photo Sparks Backlash
Arthur Edwards revealed Princess Diana's pregnant bikini photo remains a career regret.
The photograph of Diana pregnant was taken on a beach in the Bahamas using a long lens and prompted a furious public reaction when it was published, with questions raised in Parliament and one raging driver even spitting at Edwards.
Edwards said the encounter with Diana left him feeling uncomfortable, although he argued other photographers were also pursuing the image.
Recalling the princess' reaction, he said she cried: "Oh, pass me the Kleenex," after asking how much he had made from the photograph.
Edwards said he had earned nothing personally because he was working as a hired photographer.
He also stressed: "But if I hadn't done it, there were eight or nine other photographers on that island. I got there first, because I knew what to do."
Edwards' Other Royal Regrets
Edwards also regrets capturing Diana's famous see-through skirt photograph.
The picture is not the only image from his long career to have attracted attention.
Edwards also took the famous photograph of the young Lady Diana Spencer in a see-through skirt, which helped introduce the future princess to the public.
He insists he did not deliberately arrange the shot.
"There's no way I set that up, I promise you… on my children's life," he said.
Edwards has also reflected on how royal photography has changed.
In the early years of his career, he considered the young women linked to then Prince Charles fair game for press attention.
He later acknowledged he would not pursue a royal couple in a car today, pointing to restrictions introduced since those days.
His new book also recounts encounters with the late Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles and other members of the family.
Edwards describes Catherine, Princess of Wales, as "gold dust" and says the current King and Queen understand the demands of his work.
His other regret, he says, is having worked too hard. Cup of Tea, Arthur? is published by HarperCollins on November 5.
Diana's Troubled Paparazzi Relationship
Diana endured relentless paparazzi attention after her 1996 divorce from Charles.
Diana had a complicated relationship with royal photographers.
She is said to have understood their power, sometimes using arranged photo opportunities to draw attention to causes such as AIDS awareness and the campaign against landmines.
But she also endured relentless intrusion into her private life.
After her separation and 1996 divorce from Prince Charles, the pursuit intensified.
Photographers followed her holidays and relationships, while long-lens images and confrontations became a recurring feature of her life.
Paris Crash Ends Diana's Life
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The princess and Dodi Fayed died in a Paris crash as photographers pursued their car.
That tension ended tragically in Paris on 31 August 1997.
Diana and her companion Dodi Fayed were passengers in a Mercedes driven by Henri Paul when it crashed in the Alma tunnel as photographers pursued the car. Diana and Fayed, aged 36 and 42, died, as did Paul.
In 2008, a British inquest jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing, finding the deaths resulted from the grossly negligent driving of both Paul and the vehicles following them.
The verdict recognised the paparazzi pursuit as a contributing factor but did not establish photographers alone caused the crash.
Earlier French proceedings had cleared photographers of manslaughter allegations.
