A panel selected 21 images for the Picture Editors Guild Awards shortlist, and the public can now vote for the photo of the year; entries include royal appearances, wartime remembrance, political candid moments, sporting triumphs and hard-hitting news coverage.
The annual UK Picture Editors Guild Awards has opened public voting on a curated selection of photographs competing for the title of picture of the year. A judging panel narrowed submissions down to 21 images, and the public is invited to choose the winner online.
The range of entries spans intimate royal scenes, stark images of violence and grief, and candid moments involving public figures.
Among the entries that have captured public attention is a photo of the Princess of Wales with her three children watching a RAF flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
That image joins powerful coverage of the aftermath of a terrorist attack, political encounters, sporting celebrations and everyday scenes that together illustrate the year’s defining visuals.
Highlights from the shortlist
The panel’s selections bring together portraits and reportage that reflect both ceremonial life and challenging news stories.
Standout images include the Princess of Wales leaning with Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte to follow a Red Arrows display after a VE Day procession, and a candid portrait of the King at a Buckingham Palace tea welcoming a 101-year-old Second World War veteran, Ruth Barnwell.
Other notable entries capture very different moments: a photograph showing the devastating scene after the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue attack in Manchester; migrants preparing to board a dinghy bound for the English Channel; and protesters waving Union and St George’s flags at a Unite The Kingdom rally in central London. These images demonstrate the shortlist’s mix of ceremony, conflict and public life.
Royal and ceremonial coverage
The royal-focused pictures are strong contenders because they pair accessibility with ceremonial symbolism. The photograph of the Princess Royal at the Royal Highland Show is a lighter, humanizing moment: during the visit she encountered two farmers who had dozed off among cattle stalls. Another capture shows the King conversing warmly with a veteran at a palace tea, providing a personal counterpoint to the formal procession earlier that day.
Politics, protests and public figures
The shortlist includes several politically charged or eyebrow-raising shots. There is a candid frame of Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch inadvertently pointing a firearm at a soldier during a visit to Carver Barracks, a scene that prompted widespread commentary. Images of Nigel Farage and other political personalities also made the cut, alongside a photograph of 89-year-old Ursula Pethick being arrested in Parliament Square for displaying supportive messages for Palestine Action.
Sporting triumphs and lighter moments
Not all shortlisted pictures are solemn. Sport and light-hearted subjects are represented, notably a photograph of Rory McIlroy celebrating Team Europe’s victory in the 2026 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black Course. The list also includes a whimsical capture of Larry the Cat patrolling in front of 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a small but widely shared moment that blends institutional backdrop with everyday life.
Images that tell complex stories
Several photographs on the shortlist work as narratives in a single frame: migrants preparing to cross the Channel convey peril and human movement; the Heaton Park synagogue aftermath compresses trauma and communal loss into one powerful image. These photographs function as visual essays, drawing viewers into broader issues that extend beyond the moment captured.
How to vote and key dates
The public can cast their votes at pictureeditorsguildawards.co.uk. Voting is open now but will close precisely at noon on June 10. The results will be revealed on June 30 when the winner of the picture of the year is announced. The process gives viewers an active role in selecting an image that resonated most strongly with them from both ceremonial and hard-news photography.
Why the public vote matters
Allowing the public to choose the winner highlights how visual journalism connects with a broad audience. A single photograph can encapsulate national memory, spark public debate, or offer solace. The public vote reinforces the idea that editorial selection and popular response together shape which images enter the cultural record.
Where the images came from
Photographs on the shortlist were taken by a variety of professional photographers working for major outlets and news agencies. Subjects range from the royal family and high-profile politicians to everyday citizens and frontline responders. The breadth of contributors and situations underscores the role of press photography in documenting both the ceremonial and the urgent.
To view the complete shortlist and to place a vote before the deadline, visit the awards site. The selection offers a snapshot of recent national and international moments captured through skilled photographic storytelling, and the public’s choice will determine which image becomes this year’s emblematic visual.
