Queen Victoria proposed to Prince Albert at Windsor Castle in October 1839, writing later that she would ‘strive to make him feel as little as possible the great sacrifice he has made’. The title of this satirical print refers to the tradition that on 29 February a woman may propose to a man. This date only occurs once every four years, during what is known as a leap year. Although 1839 was not a leap year, their marriage took place in February 1840, which was.