The Danish Princess Anna (Anne is the anglicized version of her name) married James VI in 1589. Her ceremonial entry into Edinburgh on 19 May 1590 was a great spectacle and thousands flooded the streets to catch a glimpse of the new Queen. Travelling through the city by horse and coach, the procession was led by a group of young local men who were dressed to resemble ‘Moors’ – a term often used to describe African people in this period. At the head of the group was an African man, possibly one of Anna’s servants. John de Critz was the official painter to the royal couple following James’s accession to the English throne in 1603. In this portrait the artist has depicted the richness of Anna’s clothing and jewellery.  She was particularly fond of pearls and there are hundreds of references to both Scottish freshwater and oriental pearls in her wardrobe inventories.