This portrait and its companion (RCIN 402856) were presumably painted to commemorate the marriage of Lord and Lady Ogle on 27th March 1679, although the marriage was cut short by the death of Lord Ogle the following year. The sitter was the son and heir of Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle but died before his father.

The date of 1679 places these two portraits as some of Lely's last works and there is probably some studio assistance in the execution. The portrait of the companion portrait is higher in quality than this picture. The sitter wears semi-classical costume with a red robe held on the right shoulder, and points across his body with his right hand.