LONDON, ENGLAND.- Portrait photographer Godfrey Argent died at the age of 69 in London. He was the official photographer for the Royal Society for over 20 years. He was also photographer of the Royal Family.

He was born in Eastbourne on February 6 1937. He studied at Bexhill Grammar School and later entered the Royal Horse Guards, Household Cavalry, as a Corporal of Horse. There he developed a love of portrait photography. He won the British Army Photographic Competition and became an associate member of the Royal Photographic Society.

The Crown Equerry, Sir John Miller, commissioned him to photograph the Royal Mews for a guidebook. Later he was assigned to illustrate Judith Campbell's book, The Queen Rides. He then took birthday portraits of the Prince of Wales at 18, Princess Anne at 16 and had one of his photographs used for a royal Christmas card. He also took photographs of Prince Philip's mother, Princess Andrew of Greece in 1967.