William Charles Bell trained as an enamel painter in Geneva before securing his first royal commission in March 1850. From then onwards, he was employed constantly by Queen Victoria for almost 50 years, painting enamel miniatures, often copied after Franz Xaver Winterhalter's oil portraits, for her own collection and for distribution as gifts. His enamels were usually smaller than those by Henry Pierce Bone, William Essex or John Simpson, whose services she had previously employed, and many were set into items of jewellery, particularly Maid of Honour brooches. Queen Victoria's last payment to Bell, in July 1899, was for '6 Miniatures on Gold for Maid of Honour brooches'. Owing to his advanced years, the Queen then gave him no further work but awarded him an annual pension of £20.

Bell's enamel is a copy after Sir William Ross's miniature of 1846, which forms part of his series of the children of Queen Victoria (420337). Together with his enamel of Prince Alfred (421884), it was one of the first miniatures painted by Bell for Queen Victoria.

Signed and inscribed on the counter-enamel in black paint: H.R.H. / Albert, Prince of Wales. / Born Nov 9th 1841. / W.C. Bell. / after Sir Willm. Ross. / April 1846