This beautiful watercolour sketch by Queen Victoria shows her grandson, Prince Albert Victor of Wales sitting on the floor at Osborne in January 1865. The Prince had visited Osborne with his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, for the confirmation of his aunt, Princess Louise. During his visit, the ‘darling little Baby’ was taken to the Queen ‘every morning when we are at breakfast & always to luncheon when it is so pretty to see him, sitting, or standing on his dear sweet Mama’s knee’.
‘He [Prince Albert Victor] is a sweet intelligent, good little child; whom I pray God to bless!’ wrote the Queen as she proudly showed her grandson off to members of her court. After luncheon on 31st January, Queen Victoria immortalised a moment Albert Victor’s childhood in adorable little sketch of him playing with a ball.
As the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Albert Victor was born second in line to the British throne, which had a strong impact on his education. In December 1891 the Prince became engaged to Princess Mary of Teck. However, things took a tragic turn when Albert Victor contacted influenza and passed away just a month later.
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