A photographer recently shared his thoughts about Queen Elizabeth II. He reportedly described the late royal as “smart” and “funny” during an engagement.

Express UK reported that the claims were from Rankin, a photographer who has worked with several celebrities, like Kate Moss and Madonna. As noted, he spoke with the “Tea with Twiggy” podcast, wherein he talked about his experience working with the British Monarch.

The photographer is said to have recalled the moment when he tried to get the Queen to pose with a sword for her Golden Jubilee in 2002. He shared during the exchange, “I was like, ‘I really want to photograph you holding the sword,’” as per the publication.

However, the monarch reportedly responded that she did not like her hands, leading Rankin to think it was the “best ‘get out’ for holding the sword.”

The photographer is noted to have continued in the exchange that he was “probably not supposed” to say Queen Elizabeth II disliked her hands. But, he emphasized his point that what he loved about the monarch is that she was “so smart,” adding that “everything in response that she was saying had this amazing twist to it,” as per the publication.

Elsewhere in the engagement with the podcast, Rankin reportedly talked about how funny the late royal was at the time. He is said to have shared: “I’ve never felt that aura and she was just so funny from the minute she walked in.”

The Telegraph, which first published the exchange between the celebrity photographer and the podcast on Monday, recalled that Queen Elizabeth II’s hands were almost always hidden because of her gloves. It noted that she chose to wear them, especially when carrying out royal engagements.

The publication continued that Cornelia James, the monarch’s glove maker since the ‘40s, previously revealed why she always wore a pair of gloves. As claimed, the accessory was “part of her style,” adding that “the mind’s eye picture of the Queen is the white-gloved hand waving.”

In other related news, Genevieve James of Cornelia James glove makers, daughter of the late Cornelia James, spoke to Hello! magazine earlier in 2020. She discussed some insight into Queen Elizabeth II’s glove-wearing preferences.

James told the outlet that “nobody apart from the Queen wears gloves all the time.” She explained that the monarch dons them because “she likes to and she’s the Queen,” adding that “she’s iconic,” and gloves “are part of her integral style.”

James continued that the British Monarch also wears her pairs “because she’s shaking a lot of hands,” and the gloves seemingly “protect” them.