View across square of white marble Serasker tower, Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).

James Robertson, employed at the Mint in Constantinople, took up photography in c1853. He worked alone until 1856 when he was joined by Felice Beato, and possibly Antonio Beato as well. Robertson produced numerous views of Constantinople during this period and continued to sell the views at a premises in Pera for several years after he stopped photographing in c1858.
See also B. Oztuncay, 'James Robertson' (Istanbul, 2013), p.137. The photograph is dated 1854.

In November 1868, Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra of Wales embarked on HMS Ariadne for a 7 month tour, during which the royal couple travelled along the Nile and visited the antiquities of Egypt prior to inspecting the newly constructed Suez Canal. The Prince and Princess also visited Constantinople (now Istanbul), the battlefields of the Crimea and Greece where they were hosted by Princess Alexandra's brother, King George I of Greece (1845-1913) before returning to London in May 1869. The expedition was organised by the Duke of Sutherland and travelling with the royal couple was the naturalist Richard Owen, the explorer Sir Samuel Baker and The Times journalist WH Russell who subsequently produced a written account of the voyage comprising two volumes.