The monarch is shown standing in her robes of state, cradling a sceptre in her right arm. She wears an archless ceremonial crown, a cloak with voluminous sleeves, a short, buttoned bodice and a full-length gown tied at the waist with a tasseled cord. The rear part of the crown secures a mourning veil that falls behind her shoulders and covers her upper back. The inscription shield on the front face of the sandstone pedestal is framed by thistles and acanthus leaves with a crown above, all set within a carved cartouche. On the east face is a carved scene showing Queen Victoria entering Leith in September 1842. The west face shows the departure of the Leith Volunteers.