The royal party had left Baalbek on 5 May and arrived in the coastal city of Beirut the following day. The encampment was set up next to the British Consulate. The Prince was cheered by the people as he rode through the city: ‘The streets through the town and outside of it were crowded with people who gave us an excellent reception, but we were nearly smothered with dust, what with the crowd and our own large cavalcade.’ Acquired by the Prince of Wales, 1862