Queen Victoria, the Prince of Wales, Princess Alice and the Duchess of Gloucester at Gloucester House, 1856

Hand-coloured daguerreotype of Queen Victoria (1819-1901), Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (1841-1910), Princess Alice (1843-1878) and the Duchess of Gloucester (1776-1857) at Gloucester House. Queen Victoria stands at the centre of the group facing partly right with the Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alice seated to the right holding hands. Albert Edward sits on a chair to the left with his legs crossed.

The daguerreotype is painted with light pastel colours and is mounted in a red leather case with a maroon velvet interior.

Queen Victoria, accompanied by two of her children, visited her aunt the Duchess of Gloucester on the 30th of June 1856. In her Journal she recorded that she 'went in the afternoon to Gloucester House & was daguerreotyped with dear Aunt Gloucester, Bertie & Alice, several times.' At least four daguerreotypes were made during this sitting and on Claudet's request a notice was included in the Court Circular on the 2nd of July. The Duchess of Gloucester, the last surviving child of King George III, died the next year on the 30th of April 1857.