Royal biographer Penny Junor, 71, shares the stories behind her favourite snaps 

My life through a lens: Journalist and royal biographer Penny Junor, 71, shares the stories behind her favourite snaps

Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite photos. This week it’s British journalist and royal biographer Penny Junor, 71.

Journalist and royal biographer Penny Junor, 71 (pictured) shared the stories behind a selection of her favourite snaps

1950: I love this picture of me, my mother Pamela and my late brother Roderick. We were living in a cottage on Lord Beaverbrook’s estate but when I was nine my father, Sir John Junor, wanted us to have our own house so we moved as a family to Charlwood in Surrey. I had an idyllic childhood. I wanted to be a vet but when our dog had an accident I fainted at the sight of his blood! Luckily, I also wanted to write

1950: I love this picture of me, my mother Pamela and my late brother Roderick. We were living in a cottage on Lord Beaverbrook’s estate but when I was nine my father, Sir John Junor, wanted us to have our own house so we moved as a family to Charlwood in Surrey. I had an idyllic childhood. I wanted to be a vet but when our dog had an accident I fainted at the sight of his blood! Luckily, I also wanted to write

1965: Here I am at Cowes Week [on the left] with my friend Lesley Whale. We were at Benenden boarding school in Kent at the same time as Princess Anne, although we were a year ahead. She was PA on noticeboards, where the rest of us were called by our full names, but she mucked in with everyone. Her detective caused huge excitement – it was an all-girls school and we were thrilled by the sight of any man!

1965: Here I am at Cowes Week [on the left] with my friend Lesley Whale. We were at Benenden boarding school in Kent at the same time as Princess Anne, although we were a year ahead. She was PA on noticeboards, where the rest of us were called by our full names, but she mucked in with everyone. Her detective caused huge excitement – it was an all-girls school and we were thrilled by the sight of any man!

1971: This is me in South Africa with my husband James Leith – my fabulous sister-in-law is Prue Leith. We met at St Andrews University and were engaged within three months. I was only 18, but I knew he was the one straight away and that has not changed in all these years. He is quite simply my best friend. After graduating, James went to drama school in London. I was three years behind him at university and I tried to carry on in Scotland, but couldn’t bear it without him, so I ran away and joined him without finishing my degree – to my father’s fury. But I had the good sense to get a job before I left

1971: This is me in South Africa with my husband James Leith – my fabulous sister-in-law is Prue Leith. We met at St Andrews University and were engaged within three months. I was only 18, but I knew he was the one straight away and that has not changed in all these years. He is quite simply my best friend. After graduating, James went to drama school in London. I was three years behind him at university and I tried to carry on in Scotland, but couldn’t bear it without him, so I ran away and joined him without finishing my degree – to my father’s fury. But I had the good sense to get a job before I left

1985: My father, the long-standing editor of the Sunday Express and later a columnist for the Mail on Sunday, was a powerful and domineering character with whom I had a difficult relationship – mostly because of how badly he treated my mother. She was the kindest and most selfless person I’ve ever known. When we had a big enough house, she came to live with me and James and our children. She was a brilliant grandmother and was with us for about 25 years until, suffering from dementia, she needed full-time nursing care and had to go into a home

1985: My father, the long-standing editor of the Sunday Express and later a columnist for the Mail on Sunday, was a powerful and domineering character with whom I had a difficult relationship – mostly because of how badly he treated my mother. She was the kindest and most selfless person I’ve ever known. When we had a big enough house, she came to live with me and James and our children. She was a brilliant grandmother and was with us for about 25 years until, suffering from dementia, she needed full-time nursing care and had to go into a home

1993: I wrote about Margaret Thatcher in 1983 as a wife and mother rather than a politician, and found her fascinating. She had a very distinctive way of shaking your hand. Rather than shaking it up and down, she would move your hand across your body, effectively whacking you out of the way. It was the most extraordinary technique. John Major was quite different. As you can see, he has both hands around mine. He was very warm, very tactile and a real gentleman

1993: I wrote about Margaret Thatcher in 1983 as a wife and mother rather than a politician, and found her fascinating. She had a very distinctive way of shaking your hand. Rather than shaking it up and down, she would move your hand across your body, effectively whacking you out of the way. It was the most extraordinary technique. John Major was quite different. As you can see, he has both hands around mine. He was very warm, very tactile and a real gentleman

2008: When I was writing Sir Cliff Richard’s autobiography I joined him in Brazil on this long coach journey to a farm connected to one of his Christian charities. He is another gentleman. When I went to talk to him in Barbados, where he had a home, he met the taxi, carried my bags and made me a cup of tea. I took him to dinner at a restaurant on the edge of the water. If my 14-year-old self had known that one day I’d be sitting there with Cliff Richard I would never have believed it

2008: When I was writing Sir Cliff Richard’s autobiography I joined him in Brazil on this long coach journey to a farm connected to one of his Christian charities. He is another gentleman. When I went to talk to him in Barbados, where he had a home, he met the taxi, carried my bags and made me a cup of tea. I took him to dinner at a restaurant on the edge of the water. If my 14-year-old self had known that one day I’d be sitting there with Cliff Richard I would never have believed it

2016: I am a huge admirer of Prince Charles. He is not completely without fault – who of us is? – but he is extremely kind, friendly and thoughtful. This was taken when I was writing a book about Camilla and followed her and Charles on a tour of the Balkans. The first time I met his mother, the Queen, was at school when Princess Anne was there. She has an unmistakeable aura about her. There are fans who go to all her events and she always goes over to chat with them. She is warm and jolly and it’s lovely to see

2016: I am a huge admirer of Prince Charles. He is not completely without fault – who of us is? – but he is extremely kind, friendly and thoughtful. This was taken when I was writing a book about Camilla and followed her and Charles on a tour of the Balkans. The first time I met his mother, the Queen, was at school when Princess Anne was there. She has an unmistakeable aura about her. There are fans who go to all her events and she always goes over to chat with them. She is warm and jolly and it’s lovely to see

2016: Camilla’s the most remarkable woman. She’s friendly, funny and natural and has sacrificed a huge amount to be with the Prince of Wales. All her family have suffered. It had never crossed my mind to write about the royals until I was asked to write about the Princess of Wales in 1981. I had given everything up to be a full-time mother to my first child seven years earlier. We were living on a shoestring in a tiny cottage, and to keep body and soul together, when the children were asleep, I was writing freelance articles in the cupboard under the stairs

2016: Camilla’s the most remarkable woman. She’s friendly, funny and natural and has sacrificed a huge amount to be with the Prince of Wales. All her family have suffered. It had never crossed my mind to write about the royals until I was asked to write about the Princess of Wales in 1981. I had given everything up to be a full-time mother to my first child seven years earlier. We were living on a shoestring in a tiny cottage, and to keep body and soul together, when the children were asleep, I was writing freelance articles in the cupboard under the stairs

As told to Yvonne Swann. Penny’s latest book, All The Queen’s Corgis, is out now.