In 1862, Queen Victoria (1819-1901) commissioned photographer William Bambridge (1820-79) to take a series of memorial portraits in remembrance of her late husband Prince Albert (1819-61) who died in December 1861. This portrait was taken at Windsor Castle and depicts Queen Victoria surrounded by three of her children. The group wears dark clothing, denoting their mourning. The portrait contains two likenesses of Prince Albert: a bust sculpture on a plinth and a photograph held by Queen Victoria. Beneath this photograph, Queen Victoria inscribed '[d]ay turned to night', a poignant message foreshadowing the continued period of mourning that dominated the Victorian era.