On leaving the Army in 1962, he began to work as a photographer's assistant, and built up his own reputation, partly as a result of having access to the Royal Family.

In 2003, he made a cameo appearance in the BBC medical drama series Casualty for a story about raising money for Children in Need.

[citation needed] Lichfield resided in an apartment at the former family seat of Shugborough Hall, near Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.

On 10 November 2005, Lichfield suffered a major stroke and died the following day at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

His funeral was held on 21 November at St Michael and All Angels Church, Colwich, Staffordshire, where he was buried in the family vault.