Regina King, queen of the camera, is lining up her shot when she feels the sharp pinch.

Turning, she sees a social-climbing socialite with a lock of her hair in hand … evidence of a desperate attempt to literally pull focus.

Or imagine Regina’s entry to yet another five-star soiree, where a member of the Gold Coast glitterati sidles up beside her, only to whisper an urgent demand not to photograph her rival frenemy.

In this town, where being seen can be crucial to elevation in the social scene, these episodes may not necessarily be perks of the job, but they are certainly proof of Regina King’s reign as the original GC influencer.

But this last day of 2022 marks the end of an era as our queen Regina, alongside professional and personal consort Peter Flowers, step down from their thrones overseeing this city’s social life to enjoy some private time together.

Of course, exactly when this epoch began is a question for the ages … Regina’s date of birth is all but a state secret.

But at the end of the day - or decades - it doesn’t really matter, this iconic Gold Coast pairing is timeless.

Besides, when it comes to Regina and Peter, it can be difficult to get the full story on the record. Together, they have seen and heard everything from everyone at every event over the course of, technically, two millennia.

Beyond that, they’re really not interested in accolades or attention, they would both rather tell the story - with that proverbial picture worth a thousand words - than be the story.

In fact, now that their time capturing the Coast’s queen bees and wannabes is over, they are savouring the idea of some quiet nights alone.

“It’s been a privilege to meet so many and to see so much of the best of this city, but I actually can’t wait to not go to anything,” Peter laughs.

“We’ve had a ball, but we’re both exhausted. Reggie’s back has been giving her trouble and I think you just have to know when to call it a day.”

While this pair would much prefer to quietly slip into retirement rather than have it publicised, that’s something this city simply won’t stand for.

Still, it takes all of this newspaper’s persuasive skills to coax Regina and Peter to a long lunch to bid them adieu … on the record.

Despite making their career behind the camera, it’s impossible to ignore them - Peter towers over six feet tall, while Regina makes up for any vertical challenge with sheer colour and charm.

During the course of our conversation at Le Cafe Gourmand in Mermaid Beach, where they gaily greet the owner and his gorgeous children behind the counter, Regina makes sure to compliment this journalist multiple times, to the point of blushing, making a case in point of why she was precisely so good at her job.

But it’s Peter who explains their reticence for any public celebration of their farewell.

“It’s never been about us, we hate any fanfare and carry-on. I just wanted to simply file our last pages and quietly exit stage left,” he says.

Whether quiet or not, exiting together has always been part of the plan.

Peter has been by Regina’s side since they met in Surfers Paradise nightclub The Penthouse in 1975 - back when she was engaged to an American war hero and he was a fresh-faced TSS old boy who was all of 22 years old.

Both were there with other people.

But those other people were their friends … their friends who were having a secret affair.

“We were their beards,” laughs Regina.

“I did not want to go in with my friend, but she insisted. I said right, I’ll walk you over to him and then I’m going.

“I did just that and was saying goodbye when this tall young bloke said to me, ‘Aren’t you going to say hello?’

“Then he convinced me to have a drink with him … and we just never stopped having a good time together.”

It’s a relationship that was a surprise to Peter’s family, to Regina’s then-fiancee and her son Graeme - born from a previous marriage and of a similar vintage to Peter - and countless Gold Coasters, but neither of them cared about others’ opinions then or now. Respectfully speaking, of course.

Together, they have lived in unwedded bliss for four decades … although they once did plan to marry in Las Vegas.

“We had a huge night and when I woke up the next day I just couldn’t be bothered to get married,” says Regina.

“All the people who have talked about us, we just laugh along. We’re the ones who are still happy.”

In fact, Regina’s whole life - however long it has been - has been lived according to her own spirit of independence.

When she first came to the Gold Coast in, she thinks, the early 60s, she was already leaving another life behind. One in which she played the part of dutiful wife and homemaker, a role which simply did not suit her.

“I guess I was never cut out to be the humble housewife dutifully bringing up the kids. I tried so hard to play the marriage game but I was getting ever more restless,” she once wrote in a mini-memoir published by the Bulletin back in 2001.

“Even though my husband was the sweetest thing in the world I yearned for more.

“One day (my agent) Bill South rang to ask if I would like to go down to the Gold Coast for a two-week engagement at the Surfers Paradise Hotel. I never came back to Brisbane or to (my husband).”

As a now-single mother with baby boy in tow, Regina performed at some of the biggest places in town before some of its best-known faces, before landing a spot as the only female in an all-male drag show revue.

She soon became fast friends with drag star Holly Brown, going so far as to ‘tuck’ her mate every night before the show … although she drew the line at sharing her frocks.

“Well, he was born a man so he would stink up the dresses with the perspiration,” she says.

“But that first time I was asked to help him tuck, I had no idea what he was talking about. I soon learned … and that’s a lesson you never forget. You just need some tape and rubbing alcohol.”

Fittingly, the last official job that Regina and Peter booked was at Drag Queen Bingo at Miami Marketta - although they insist no tucking was required.

Other than the tucking, or lack thereof, the difference between these two drag shows was Regina’s role - one was before the cameras, the other behind.

And the transition between the two came during the long hours between her performances on-stage when she discovered her passion for photography on our sands.

After taking some lessons from a visiting photographer, Regina began strolling the beaches snapping pics of tourists.

“Those were the days of film rolls and dark rooms, we’d get them developed and sell them that afternoon,” she says.

“I just loved meeting all of the people on the beach and it quickly turned into a strong business.

“I ended up snapping pics for The Post and the Bulletin, as well as weddings and events and it just seemed like I was meeting everyone.”

And then she met Peter.

He describes it as a ‘slow burn’, it took them six months from meeting until they were partners in every sense, but he’s simply not interested in over-thinking it.

“We just work, what more is there to say?”

While the pair might have seen some bad behaviour in this city - think the aforementioned hair-pulling and whispered demands - they have also seen the Coast at its absolute best.

In fact, Peter says the Gold Coast is the most charitable city in the country.

During their years covering social events across the Coast, they have always prioritised those that benefit others, using every opportunity to shine a light on worthy causes.

“If you live here, it’s a choice. You’ve either decided to come here or decided not to leave, we’re still too young to have those generations just embedded, but that’s what makes it so great,” says Peter.

“I think that’s why this city is the most generous and most charitable city per capita by far, we have more than 2500 registered charities on the Gold Coast - and we’ve done our best to serve them whenever possible.”

When Regina and Peter are asked the most memorable moments of their career, each attempts to answer before the other insists that the specific story simply can’t go on the record.

But, for the record, they’re pretty incredible stories.

From politicians to celebrities to socialites, they’ve seen and heard - and snapped - it all.

And it’s meeting the characters of the Coast that they both admit they’ll miss.

“If I were to describe the Coast, I’d say colourful, ostentatious, over-the-top in every way and exciting,” says Regina.

“When people would pull my hair to take their photo, I could always laugh it off because it was never mean-hearted, it was just that very GC personality of wanting the attention.

“But at the same time, this city has always had a huge heart. I never would have lasted so long if I didn’t love the job and didn’t love the people.”