The picture was taken as the royal couple got caught up in demonstrations on their way to the theatre in central London. HRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall’s car was surrounded by crowds as police clashed with demonstrators last December. At the time, protests were at a high against coalition government cuts and controversial plans to triple university tuition fees in England.
Associated Press Regional Photo Editor for Europe and Africa Tony Hicks said: “Matt Dunham is one of the outstanding press photographers of his generation. This award-winning image is testament to his news judgment and versatility. After filing photos of demonstrations in Parliament Square, Matt decided to follow a group of people he believed were intent on causing trouble. Seeing the group crowd around a large vehicle, in which he realised the royal couple was travelling, he had seconds to fire off five frames. AP used all of the images. This is an example of how following instincts in reporting can pay dividends.”
Out of nearly 8,000 entries, Dunham’s photo was one of 15 pictures selected for the Press Photographer’s Year Award. Some 136 images are being showcased in an exhibition at the National Theatre from Monday, 18 July to Sunday, 4 September.
