Annie Leibovitz Regals Texans with Stories of the Queen: Inside Buckingham Palace and Celebrity Homes Everywhere — a Life Through Portraits

What: VIP reception for Annie Leibovitz

Where: Neiman Marcus Downtown

PC Moment: Meryl Streep. Queen Elizabeth II. John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Demi Moore. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. From Hollywood royalty to actual royalty, Annie Leibovitz has photographed some of the 20th and 21st centuries’ most famous faces — many of whom are chronicled in her new book, Annie Leibovitz Portraits: 2005-2016.

Ahead of Leibovitz’s appearance at SMU’s McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, where she spoke as part of the DMA’s Arts & Letters Live performing arts series, Neiman Marcus threw an intimate midday reception in her honor at its downtown Dallas store.

Gathered on the second floor, fans of the famous lenswoman were captivated not only by her presence but also her stories. She regaled tales of photographing some of her favorite Texans (Willie Nelson, Ann Richards) as well as her meetings with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2007 and Windsor Castle in 2016.

“[She] had a list of things to do,” Leibovitz said of her visit to England last year to snap photos marking the Queen’s 90th birthday, later published in Vanity Fair. “It was very charming. She wanted one with her daughter, she wanted to be photographed with her grandchildren, and she wanted to be photographed with her dogs. She said nothing about Prince Charles or Prince Philip.”

After hearing more witty tales and details from Leibovitz’s astonishing career, guests queued to have their books personally signed. In total, there are only 3,000 special edition books that feature her signature, available exclusively at Neiman Marcus.

Picture Perfect: Neiman Marcus Downtown vice president and general manager Tim Adair, NM vice president of corporate communications Mimi Crume Sterling, NM vice president of public relations Sandy Marple, Lisa Shaddock, Max Trowbridge, Katherine Coker, Joyce Goss, Jaimie Siegle, Brady Moore, Allison V. Smith, Katy Bock, Laree Hulshoff, and Janie Condon.