Scandalous photos that changed the world

Photographs have the power to force us to accept unpalatable truths and strip away illusions. This is especially true when it comes to scandalous images that capture public figures in compromising situations.

From royal scandals to celebrity mishaps

No matter how carefully curated their image may be, scandals often reveal the gap between what the public sees and the reality. Take, for instance, Prince Andrew, accused of trafficking, with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell in the background of a haunting photograph.

Or the then-health secretary Matt Hancock, caught on CCTV snogging his mistress during a pandemic, disregarding social distancing rules. And Hugh Grant, the romantic lead, posing for his police mugshot after being arrested with a sex worker.

These and other images expose the disparity between the carefully managed personas and the real individuals behind them. They tell a story of changing morals and the consequences of power imbalances.

From Margaret Whigham, the Duchess of Argyll, whose nude Polaroids shocked the British establishment in 1930, to Michael Jackson dangling his baby son off a balcony to thrill fans, these scandalous photos have shaped public perception and often forced those involved to confront the repercussions.

As Gaby Hinsliff writes, 'When it comes to scandal, seeing is believing – occasionally even to the point that a picture changes the course of History.'