Cecil Beaton (1904-80) photographed the Royal Family over a forty year period, from 1939 to 1979, the year before his death. Beaton's flair for creating glamorous, sensitive portraits is attributed to his creativity and ability to put his subject at ease. In 1949, Beaton photographed Princess Margaret (1930-2002) for her 19th birthday. This particular work includes both a portrait of the young Princess and a self-portrait of the photographer, his image purposefully captured in the mirror behind.