A watercolour of a view of the bedroom at Buckingham Palace, prepared for Napoleon III. Signed and dated Js Roberts / 1855. Painted at Buckingham Palace in April and May 1855.

In September 1854 Prince Albert visited the military camp at Boulogne (see RCIN 920050) at the invitation of Napoleon III, ally of the British - along with Turkey and Sardinia - in the Crimean War against Russia. In 1855, Napoleon III and his wife were invited to make a State Visit to England, in part an attempt to persuade the Emperor against carrying out a wish to travel to the Crimea to lead his troops. Queen Victoria received them with her eldest children, ministers and members of her court and Yeomen of the Guard in attendance.

The Emperor and Empress spent three days at Windsor and three at Buckingham Palace in London. Events included a State Dinner held in St George’s Hall at Windsor, the investiture of the Emperor into the Order of the Garter (see RCIN 920054), a trip to the opera in Covent Garden (RCIN 920055), a military review and a visit to the Crystal Palace at Sydenham (RCINs 920231 and 919991).