A half-length study for the full-length portrait of Queen Alexandra commissioned by the Canadian Government to hang, together with a portrait of King Edward VII, in the Canadian Houses of Parliament, Ottawa. These portraits were subsequently destroyed in the fire at the Parliament Buildings in 1916. In April 1904 Forbes wrote to the Prime Minister, Sir Wilfred Laurier, asking if it would be possible for him to receive a commission to paint the King and Queen, adding that he was 'so anxious for the honour', but that little time would be required from his sitters, just sittings for photographs and one or two short sittings. Later that month the Prime Minister received a petition signed by many members of the House of Commons requesting that the commission was entrusted to Forbes. Forbes arrived in England on 27 December 1904 and it was confirmed that a sitting would take place in February; although it was suggested that the artist might obtain photographs from Messrs Downey in preparation for the portrait. A sitting by the King took place at Buckingham Palace on 14 February 1905.The finished portraits were exhibited as by command of The King at the Royal Academy in 1906 (Nos. 515, 516).

This study appears to have been offered to Princess Victoria, Queen Alexandra's daughter, by the artist. However the Queen herself was eager to purchase it and the paltry sum of £5 was sent to the artist (no price had been mentioned), asking that it be delivered to Sandringham during the week of the 26th November. It was possibly intended as a Christmas present for the King. The Queen is depicted wearing a beaded black dress with an ermine mantle and the riband and Star of the Order of the Garter, her veil is secured by a small crown; multiple strands of pearls about her neck.

Two associated studies of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, close in size to this portrait (30 x 20 ½ inches), hung in the office of Archivist, Arthur Doughty at the National Archives c. 1910-25. These were returned to Forbes' widow in November 1928, following his death and were for sale at J Merritt Maloney Galleries, Toronto, in 1929. Possibly these studies at Joyner Fine Art, Toronto, 13 May 1994 (lots 63 & 64, 76.2 x 50.8 cm, 30 x 20").

John Colin Forbes was born on 23 January 1846 in Toronto, the son of a Scottish immigrant, Duncan Forbes. He studied at the South Kensington and Royal Academy Schools, returning to Canada in the early 1870s. Here he began a series of portraits, including that of the Governor General, the Earl of Dufferin and Sir John A Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada. In 1891 he was commissioned by the Canadian Liberal Party to paint a portrait of William Ewart Gladstone, to present to the Liberal Club of London. He was also commissioned to paint Gladstone's successor, Henry Campbell-Bannerman; this portrait was completed c.1906, presumably whilst working on the commission for the Canadian Government. Forbes remained in London until c.1907, when he travelled to New York. He died in Toronto on 28 October 1925.