Kiwi photographer recalls finding his portrait of royals on tin

September 14, 2022

William Rowntree took the famous photograph ahead of a royal tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1970. (Source: Breakfast)

A Kiwi man has recalled his surprise at finding a photo he took of the royal family on a biscuit tin.

William Rowntree told Breakfast he was working in London when he was asked to photograph the Queen with her family ahead of their royal tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1970.

Prince Charles, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Queen Elizabeth II wound up featuring in the portrait on the biscuit tin.

Rowntree said he made the biscuit tin discovery when visiting his parents a year later.

READ MORE: Wellington family and Queen Elizabeth bonded over photography

"My mum said 'I've got a present for you'. I thought 'what's this?' and she suddenly produced a couple of these biscuit tins, which she'd picked up in a Woolworths, with my picture of the family group on it," he remembered.

"Unfortunately I didn't get a byline on the biscuit tin and didn't get paid for it either," Rowntree lamented.

Fifty years later he still has one of the biscuit tins and showed it off proudly - he even still uses it. His sister has the other one.

Rowntree said taking the portrait was one of the best assignments of his career, describing it as a "great, great occasion and a great honour".

He said the Queen had wanted the portrait to be done by a Kiwi photographer.

"It's something I'll never forget."

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