21 candid photos of royals taken at the perfect time

charles camilla eagle
Charles, then Prince of Wales, and Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, meet a bald eagle. Chris Jackson/Getty Images
  • Candid photos of royal family members show a different, lighter side of royal life.
  • When royals encounter animals on engagements, sometimes things don't go as planned.
  • Royal weddings also provide many opportunities for amusing, unplanned photos.
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Queen Elizabeth II made Prince Harry crack a smile at a military parade in 2006.

Queen Elizabeth walks by a line of soldiers, including Prince Harry, who is cracking a smile at the sight of his grandmother.
Queen Elizabeth smiles at Prince Harry during the Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst in 2006. DYLAN MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth attended the Sovereign's Parade at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to see Prince Harry's passing-out ceremony in 2006, during which he was commissioned as an Army officer. As she walked by the line of soldiers, Harry couldn't help but grin at the Queen, whom he called "Granny."

Over his 10 years in the British Army, Harry served two tours in Afghanistan and achieved the rank of captain.

A young royal fan holding a cardboard cutout of the Queen looked confused upon meeting the real Queen Elizabeth.

Queen Elizabeth accepts a card from a fan.
Queen Elizabeth accepts a card from a fan. Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

The boy gave Queen Elizabeth the card while she passed by on her traditional birthday walk celebrating her 80th birthday in 2006.

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An aerial photo of Queen Elizabeth walking diagonally on a checkered floor is reminiscent of how the queen game piece moves in chess.

Queen Elizabeth in St. Paul's Cathedral in London walking on a checkered floor like a chess piece
Queen Elizabeth in St. Paul's Cathedral in London. TOBY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty Images

The Queen was attending a national service of thanksgiving for her 90th birthday in 2016.

Donna the elephant looked delighted to meet Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 2017.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip meet an elephant
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in Dunstable, UK. Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attended the opening the Centre for Elephant Care at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in 2017, where they fed an elephant named Donna bananas.

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King Charles, then Prince of Wales, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, then Duchess of Cornwall, got a little too close for comfort to a bald eagle.

Prince Charles and Camilla dodge an eagle in King's Lynn, England.
Charles, then Prince of Wales, and Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, in King's Lynn, England. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Charles and Camilla were getting acquainted with Zephyr, the mascot of the Army Air Corps, at the Sandringham Flower Show when he showed off his impressive wingspan. 

Charles looked alarmed when a bumblebee flew into his suit while he held a tuatara in 2015.

King Charles ducks while holding a tuatara as Camilla looks on
Charles, then Prince of Wales, and Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, react as a large bumblebee briefly flies inside his jacket as he handles a tuatara in 2015. GERARD O'BRIEN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Charles and Camilla shared a laugh after their encounter with a bumblebee during their 2015 tour of New Zealand and Australia.

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Charles gleefully prepared a mojito on a visit to Cuba.

Prince Charles and Camilla make drinks in Cuba
Charles, then Prince of Wales, and Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, make drinks in Cuba in 2019. Chris Jackson/ Pool/Getty Images

Charles and Camilla were the first members of the royal family to visit Cuba in an official capacity.

Prince William and Prince Harry befriended an African rock python in Botswana.

Prince Harry and Prince William hold a snake in Botswana.
Prince Harry and Prince William in Botswana. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

During a visit to an education center they support in Gaborone, Botswana, the princes laughed as the python slithered across their shoulders.

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Harry bested his brother in a lightsaber battle on the set of "Star Wars."

Prince Harry and Prince William in a lightsaber duel.
Prince Harry and Prince William in a lightsaber duel on the "Star Wars" set in 2016. Photo by Adrian Dennis/WPA Pool/Getty Images

They filmed a cameo for the movie as Stormtroopers, but the scene was cut because they were too tall.

When William and Kate Middleton shared their first kiss as a married couple on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, bridesmaid Grace Van Cutsem was not amused.

Prince William and Kate Middleton kiss on their wedding day in 2011.
Prince William and Kate Middleton on their wedding day in 2011. Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Van Cutsem (left) covered her ears as the crowd cheered the newlywed couple's first kiss.

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Judging by their reactions while watching Wimbledon, William and Kate are big tennis fans.

Prince William and Kate Middleton at Wimbledon.
Prince William and Kate Middleton at Wimbledon. Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images

The couple watched the Wimbledon men's singles final in 2014 and got into the game.

William appeared to enjoy teasing Kate with an air horn while cheering on marathon runners.

Prince William blows an air horn at Kate Middleton in London.
Prince William and Kate Middleton in London. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

They joked around at the starting line of the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon.

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He played it super cool when talking to Nicole Kidman.

Prince William meets Nicole Kidman.
Prince William talks with Nicole Kidman. Mark Large/Pool/Getty Images

Cameras captured William's starstruck expression upon meeting Kidman at the 2011 BAFTA Brits To Watch event in Los Angeles.

When a young spectator tried to steal Harry's popcorn at the 2017 Invictus Games, he let her have some.

A young spectator tries to steal Prince Harry's popcorn
Hayley and Emily Henson with Prince Harry. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Hayley Henson and daughter Emily sat with Harry at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada.

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Meghan Markle let her pet name for Harry slip while taking a photo with the cast of "Hamilton," eliciting a chorus of "awwws."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with the cast of "Hamilton" in August 2018.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with the cast of "Hamilton." Dan Charity - WPA Pool/Getty Images

The royal couple posed for photos with the cast when Meghan turned to Harry and appeared to say, "Can you see, my love?" 

Harry playfully wagged his finger at a 3-year-old child who pulled Meghan's hair while they were on a walkabout in Ireland.

Prince Harry scolds a young girl who pulled Meghan Markle's hair
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in Ireland. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

When a 3-year-old boy in Dublin, Ireland, tugged at Meghan's hair during a visit to Croke Park stadium, Harry stepped in to good-naturedly tell him off. 

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Harry, in turn, allowed a young fan to rub his beard during the last leg of his and Meghan's tour of Australia.

A young boy rubs Prince Harry's beard in Australia
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Australia. Phil Noble / Getty

Touching members of the royal family is generally prohibited, but Harry didn't seem to mind one bit as the young fan rubbed his beard.

"Luke's favorite person in the world is Santa Claus, who has a beard. So he rubbed Harry's beard," Vincent's school principal, Anne Van Darrel, told 7 News Sydney.

On Harry and Meghan's first royal tour in Australia, a young member of the K'gari tribe was ecstatic to meet the prince.

A starstruck young woman meets Prince Harry in Australia
Prince Harry in Fraser Island, Australia. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Harry greeted members of the K'gari tribe on Fraser Island when he and Meghan stopped in Australia on their first royal tour in 2018. K'gari means "paradise."

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Princess Charlotte was photographed mid-sneeze at her uncle Harry's wedding.

Princess Charlotte royal wedding
Prince Charlotte at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding. WPA Pool/Getty Images

It was just one of many candid photos from the royal wedding.

Prince George pressed his face up against the plane window on his family's royal tour of Canada in 2016.

Prince George on a plane.
Prince George on a plane. Stephen Lock - Pool/Getty Images

George and Charlotte may be royals, but they're also just regular kids.

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The roar of military planes flying over Buckingham Palace appeared to be too much for 4-year-old Prince Louis at this year's Trooping the Colour.

Queen Elizabeth stands next to Prince Louis as he screams and covers his ears at Trooping the Colour 2022.
Queen Elizabeth stands next to Prince Louis as he screams at Trooping the Colour 2022. DANIEL LEAL / Contributor / Getty Images

The young prince screamed and covered his ears while he stood next to his great-grandmother.

Royal Family Prince Charles Prince Harry
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