This portrait of Queen Victoria presents a stark contrast to the earlier portraits that Wilson took of the royal family. Wearing her widow’s cap made from silk, the queen is set against a plain background with only her head and shoulders visible. A more standardised approach to taking the queen’s portrait emerged as the number of photographers competing to take royal portraits increased. Pressure from the increasing number of rival photographers may have led Wilson to apply for a royal warrant to validate his self-assigned title of ‘Photographer to the Queen’. The warrant was received in July 1873.