Leibovitz recalls tense photo shoot with queen

updated 11:48 a.m. ET Oct. 22, 2008

LONDON - Annie Leibovitz revisited a tense moment last year with Queen Elizabeth II as the celebrity photographer showcased a new exhibit of her work in London on Wednesday.

The British queen rebuked Leibovitz when the photographer suggested the monarch should consider removing her crown during a shoot at Buckingham Palace in 2007.

Leibovitz, famous for her portraits, said she knew something was wrong at the start of the session.

“The queen came down the hall and she looked a little perturbed. I knew something was up,” Leibovitz recalled while promoting her photos of the queen and other celebrities on exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in central London.

“All her dressers were about 20 feet away — no one was near her. She was coming down the hall very purposefully. As she came in she said, ‘I don’t have much time,”’ Leibovitz said.

NBC VIDEO Leibovitz on career, family Oct. 9: "Today" show host Matt Lauer talks with Annie Leibovitz about her work and her new book, "A Photographer's Life: 1990-2005." Today Show Books

A British Broadcasting Corp. production team on hand captured the moment. “What do you think this is?” the queen asked, gesturing to her royal attire after Leibovitz made the suggestion about her crown.

The BBC later apologized after Buckingham Palace complained that a trailer for the documentary left the false impression that the queen stormed out after the exchange. The footage actually showed the queen arriving for the shoot, not leaving.

Leibovitz said she was asked to allow the documentary crew in but that she was only willing to let them film the queen coming and going. “And that is what they got — except they got a little confused ... The thing that the BBC missed completely was that she was storming into the shoot,” Leibovitz said.

The Leibovitz exhibit opened last week and runs until Feb. 1.

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