A watercolour showing a large force of Carabiniers drawn up in the courtyard of the Château d'Eu, as the royal party and its mounted escort drives up to the entrance. Signed lower right: Eugène Lami.

In September 1843 Queen Victoria travelled abroad for the first time, visiting Louis-Philippe, King of the French, at the Chateau d’Eu in Normandy. This was a visit of great historical significance, being the first time a British sovereign had visited France since the meeting of Henry VIII and Francis I in 1520 (known as the Field of the Cloth of Gold).

This watercolour shows the arrival of the royal procession - travelling in charabancs, open-sided carriages - at the chateau. When Louis-Philippe made a reciprocal visit to Windsor the following year he brought with him a sumptuous album of watercolours as a gift for Victoria, of which this was one. Painted by leading French artists, the watercolours illustrated events that took place during the visit and the rooms Victoria and Albert occupied at Eu.