As well as drawing and painting at Balmoral, Queen Victoria often made drawings and watercolours in the summer at Osborne House, her private residence on the Isle of Wight, acquired in 1845 and rebuilt over the following six years. In this watercolour, Queen Victoria depicts her seven eldest children and their governess enjoying a summer’s day in the grounds of Osborne. Her long-standing art teacher William Leighton Leitch would often be invited to Osborne and Balmoral to give lessons to the Queen and her family. His influence can be seen clearly in the watercolour’s landscape elements, particularly the delicately painted trees.