Glass colour transparency of Queen Elizabeth II (b. 1926) when Princess Elizabeth in her Sea Ranger uniform. Seated portrait in three-quarters length, facing half to left with her head turned to front, hands clasped on lap and uniform hat also resting on lap, against plain background.

The sixteen-year-old Princess was enrolled as a Sea Ranger on 26 February 1943 in SRS President III, having previously been a Girl Guide from the age of eleven. Senior Guides were, from 1920 onwards, known as Rangers, and a separate unit, the Sea Rangers, was established for those with strong naval interest. During the Second World War, the work of the Rangers contributed to the war effort. Princess Elizabeth was made a Sea Ranger Commodore in 1945. The Sea Rangers were disbanded in 1949.

The object is accompanied by a letter, dated 29 November 1943, from M.W. Elphinstone to Princess Margaret, the sitter's sister. The letter begins with 'Dear Princess Margaret, here is the colour photograph of Princess Elizabeth which we took together and which you kindly lent me for exhibition at the Royal Photographic Society's annual exhibition. It was much admired there by everyone and I took care to tell people that Your Royal Highness really took it and that I merely "assisted". I hope that before long I may be allowed to take some more photographs and I shall have your help.'

The Hon. Mountstuart William Elphinstone was the brother of the 16th Lord Elphinstone, who had married Lady Mary Bowes-Lyon, sister of Queen Elizabeth, in 1910. Portrait photography was one of his interests, which also included collecting East Asian ceramics.