Princess Charlotte, George IV's only child and daughter, and her husband Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, later King Leopold I of Belgium, sat to the sculptor Peter Turnerelli for their portrait busts on the morning of their wedding on 2nd May 1816; the portraits became known as the 'nuptial busts'. Prince Leopold is depicted looking slightly to his left, with Roman warrior's hair wisped to the front and long side whiskers, and wearing uniform with a carved shoulder strap depicting an angel blowing a trumpet, symbolising the messengers of God who gather the chosen ones in the Last Judgement.

Princess Charlotte was the only daughter of George IV and her father’s heir to the throne, but she died a year after her wedding, in November 1817. Turnerelli received several commissions from private individuals for copies of the bust following Princess Charlotte’s death, a fact that displeased Prince Leopold.

Prince Leopold became King of Belgium in 1832.  He played an important role in the arrangement of the marriage of his niece Queen Victoria to his nephew Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.