A watercolour and bodycolour drawing of the Royal Yacht steaming into the harbour at Boulogne, greeted by crowds on the shore, and with rowing boats, and French and British flags. Signed and dated at lower left: Ch. Mozin 1855.

In August 1855 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert spent ten days in Paris, on the invitation of Napoleon III and his wife Eugénie. The historic state visit was intended to celebrate the military alliance between Britain and France in the Crimean War, and followed a visit by the imperial couple to Windsor in April that year. The party set off from Osborne House on the Isle of Wight on 18 August, arriving at Boulogne at about 1.15pm. The steam powered Royal Yacht was accompanied by a squadron of ships arranged by the Admiralty. Napoleon III greeted the royal party on horseback in the harbour before the group travelled onwards by train to Paris.

Charles Mozin specialised in seascapes and scenes of the Normandy coast, especially the fishing port of Trouville-sur-Mer. He was commissioned to make this watercolour for an album of scenes of the Paris visit sent to Queen Victoria at Christmas 1855.