King Leopold was the uncle of both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. His first marriage in 1816 was to Princess Charlotte, Victoria's cousin, who died in childbirth in 1817. In 1830 he accepted the invitation from the newly independent Belgians to be their king. Here he is depicted in a dark green military coat. He was very close to Queen Victoria, had supported the Queen and her mother in the difficult days before her accession, and 'looked very sharp after the poor little baby' when her father, the Duke of Kent, died in 1820. He also played an important role in negotiating her marriage to Prince Albert, his nephew, and wrote in 1838 'it is my great anxiety to see Albert a very good and distinguished young man, and no pains will be thought too much on my part if this end can be attained'. To the Queen he wrote 'I love you for yourself, and I love in you the dear child whose welfare I carefully watched.'

Signed and dated: 'George Hayter. / pinxit. Windsor Castle. 1837'. On the back is a label on which Hayter stated it had been painted at Windsor Castle in September 1837.