Queen Victoria had several sittings for her portrait by Partridge in September and October 1840. This painting is probably the ‘Copy’ recorded by the artist in 1840 as ‘presented at Christmas to Prince Albert’. The Queen, in a black evening dress with a black and silver head-dress, wears the ribbon and star of the Garter and the Garter round her left arm. She stands with her hand resting on a letter on the table. The gilt metal inkstand set with semi-precious stones was a present from Prince Albert to the Queen on her birthday, 24 May 1840. The bracelet on her right arm is set with a miniature portrait of Prince Albert by Sir William Ross for which the Prince had sat in February and March 1840 and the locket round her neck was given to her by Prince Albert. The portrait was placed in Prince Albert’s Writing-Room at Buckingham Palace. Inscribed on the back with the names of the artist and sitter and the date, 1840.