Royal photo mum: It's changed our lives

The mum who took a once-in-a-lifetime photograph of four beaming royals on Christmas Day says it has changed her and her daughter Rachel's lives.

"My phone will ring at work and I have to say to my colleagues, 'oh it's just my agent', Karen Anvil, who works at a hospital near her home in Watlington, Norfolk, said.

"Obviously they think it's hilarious, but I feel so silly."

She had posted a photo of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle together at Sandringham.

The image made the front pages of the Sun, Daily Mail, Mirror, Star, Daily Telegraph and Express newspapers, and international media.

She says that more than 50 publications around the world have since contacted her asking to use the photograph, including in Canada, Spain, Italy, American and Japan.

The photo even starred on the front cover of a January edition of Hello magazine in the UK.

"There's a picture of me and Rachel in Hello too - that's the one I was happiest about. It couldn't get any better than that," she said.

"I've had some offers to do work but they're just too cringe, to be honest. Some friends have told me I should do Gogglebox.

"It's not really for me though".

Ms Anvil said her income alone from two jobs supports her family: "I'm a single mum, so I welcome this boost for us.

"This photo will form part of history, and any parent would take this opportunity to provide for their children."

On Christmas Day, Ms Anvil told the BBC she hoped to fund her daughter's university education from the image sales.

Now the question everyone wants the answer to is - can she?

"I think people misunderstood a bit," she said.

"My daughter wants to study nursing and will have full-time working placements.

"But what I want is to provide for her so she doesn't have to work an extra job on top of her placements and studying."

Ms Anvil won't spill the beans about exactly how much the image will bring in for her and Rachel, but does say while it's not "millions or even half a million, it's been a great help".

"I'll be able to pay for all her books and help pay her rent - that's what I'd like to get out of this."

As well as selling well in the UK, sales of the photograph abroad have been very "healthy", according to Ms Anvil's agent Ken Goff.

Although the payments haven't yet reached Ms Anvil due to turn-around times in international magazine sales, she expects her family will be "very happy" with them.

For now, Ms Anvil is making plans for Rachel.

"I've booked her driving lessons and I'm going to help her get a car which will be essential for her work as a nurse - I never thought I'd be able to do that."

Mum and daughter are also planning a trip to the United States in December to celebrate Rachel's 18th birthday after Ms Anvil recently got her first passport.

"The money will just help me pay for things, so she can make loads of memories with me before she goes off to start her adult life."

But Ms Anvil isn't planning on retiring from her photography career just yet.

"I'm definitely going back to Sandringham next Christmas - we want to see Royal babies!"

In the meantime Ms Anvil says she'd love to know what the Royal foursome think of the photo - but she thinks she'll wait a long time before finding out.