Mario Testino awarded OBE by Queen Elizabeth

OHMYGOSSIP — Mario Testino has been awarded an honorary OBE by Queen Elizabeth following his extensive work with the British Royal Family.

The fashion photographer has been handed the award following his extensive work with the British Royal Family, which has seen him capture iconic images of the late Princess Diana for Vanity Fair magazine and more recently he took Prince William and Duchess Catherine’s official engagement pictures.

James Dauris, the British Ambassador in Peru, said: “Mario Testino has maintained a close relationship with the United Kingdom over the years.

“His work there, including his collaboration with the Royal Family, has allowed him to establish his reputation as one of today’s best portrait photographers.”

As well as the Peruvian-born photographer’s great work with the camera, he was also praised for helping to “build cultural bridges” between his South American home nation and Great Britain.

James added: “Mario’s work has contributed to strengthening the cultural bridges between Peru and Great Britain.”

Mario’s most famous work is arguably the series of iconic snaps he took of Diana for Vanity Fair just five months before she died in a car crash in 1997.