A watercolour depicting Queen Victoria laying the first stone of a cairn built to mark Victoria and Albert's acquisition of Balmoral. Signed by the artist.

This cairn-building ceremony took place on 11 October 1852, the last day of the royal stay in the Highlands for that autumn. Victoria and Albert had just bought the Balmoral estate (which they had been leasing since 1848), and decided to replace the existing house with a castle in the Scottish Baronial style, which was completed in 1856. Victoria recorded the occasion in detail in her journal: "I placed a stone first, then Albert, the children each according to their ages, the Ladies & Gentlemen, & then every body present came with a stone in their hand, which they placed. McKay played [the bagpipes] & whiskey was served round to all. The cairn took I am sure an hour to build up & while it was going on, some cheery reels were danced. It was a gay pretty sight … At last when the cairn, which I should say was 7 or 8 ft. high, was completed, Albert climbed up to the top of it & placed the last stones, after which 3 cheers were given"

The watercolourist William Wyld was born in England but worked mainly in France. Queen Victoria was probably introduced to his work by her aunt Queen Louise of the Belgians or Louise's brother, the prince de Joinville. In September 1852 Wyld was invited to Balmoral, where he made many watercolours and drawings for Queen Victoria. A letter from Wyld to 'Suzan' in the Royal Archives reads, 'I hardly expect I shall leave before the Court leaves, for my hands are full of work and she is wishing for something fresh every day ... I am literally worked off my legs, for wishing to give the Queen satisfaction. I do not spare myself - from 6 till 6 every day I am at it' (WRA Add J 1575/25 September 1852).