The Queen Victoria Memorial, which stands outside Buckingham Palace at the entrance to the Mall, was planned by King Edward VII as a tribute to his mother and her reign. The planning of the monument as well as the redevelopment of the surrounding area took nearly ten years and the unveiling took place on 16 May, 1911 and was led by King George V. Sir Thomas Brock was chosen to design the sculpture and Sir Aston Webb, best known as the architect of the V&A, to re-design the surrounding area.

The painting depicts King George V and the German Emperor taking the salute at the foot of the steps of the Memorial at the march-past concluding the ceremony. Queen Mary and the German Empress are standing beneath the statue of Queen Victoria, the latter in a black dress embroidered in gold, and a large black hat. The King is accompanied on the right by an equerry, possibly Douglas Dawson, Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's office. To the right and behind this group stands Princess Viktoria Luise in white and blue with, standing prominently beside her in a sailor suit, the young Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, godson to the German Emperor. In the foreground, left, the Standards of the Life Guards (in line), followed by a detachment of the 1^st Life Guards. In the extreme foreground left a drum major in state dress at the head of massed bands, stationed behind the spectator in the Mall.

Hall's painting provides a rare view of the new monument juxtaposed with the mid-19^th century darkened Caen stone façade of Buckingham Palace. By the end of 1913 the façade had been refaced in gleaming Portland stone more in harmony with the colouring of the Memorial. This was made possible using surplus funds raised for the memorial, and the project was overseen by Aston Webb. Importantly Hall's painting also commemorates the last time that the German Emperor was to make a visit to Great Britain before the outbreak of the First World War.

In a letter of 23 April 1911 Hall records that he had been commanded by King George to paint the unveiling ceremony. On 1 March 1912 he wrote asking to submit the finished picture to the King and appears to have been paid £400 for two paintings (although only one seems to be extant). First recorded at Buckingham Palace in a corridor adjacent to the Queen's Corridor, presumably c. 1912 (BP 1909 cat, p.208 addl.). A small monochrome watercolour copy with variations was painted by Hall for Queen Mary's Dolls House, Windsor Castle (RCIN 927050). On loan to the Household Cavalry Regiment, London, 1962-94. The frame is by Charles Dolman.