Prince Albert (1819-1861)

This commemorative marble portrait bust of Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, was commissioned by Queen Victoria a fortnight after his death in December 1861. It was made by the sculptor William Theed who was one of their favourite artists. Theed was engaged to work on this bust, in which Prince Albert is depicted with bare shoulders, at Osborne House, where Queen Victoria had retired. He had been previously summoned to Windsor Castle to make a death mask of Prince Albert's face on which this bust is based.

The bust was completed at the end of January 1862 and was placed on a high plinth at the centre of the Blue Room in Windsor Castle where Prince Albert had died. The bust remained there until Queen Victoria died in 1901.