Princess Beatrice (1857-1944) taking her first ride on her second birthday

Glass plate negative of the young Princess Beatrice (1857-1944) seated on a pony via a special seat. A groom holds the pony's bridle. Buckingham Palace can be seen in the background.

Princess Beatrice, the youngest child of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) and Prince Albert (1819-61), spent her second birthday at Buckingham Palace. Her mother wrote an account of the day in her journal: 'We went to fetch her from the schoolroom, where she stood with 2 nosegays in her hand, surrounded by her sisters, looking a great little duck in a little pink silk frock, with her little curls so nicely arranged ... Baby was delighted with her toys, running about with a Pussy, she called a rabbit.' Princess Beatrice later had a party with four girls her own age. They 'ran about in the Lower Corridor, after their supper and had great fun together.'

The glass plate negative has been photographed showing the coated side and therefore the image appears laterally reversed. A print from this negative exists in the Collection, RCIN 2900172.