Honthorst was a Dutch painter born and trained in Utrecht. His early career was spent in Rome, where he attained great success as a follower of Caravaggio. In 1620 he returned to Utrecht and largely abandoned religious themes in favour of Arcadian and domestic subjects and portraits. During this period Honthorst received a number of commissions from the exiled Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia, sister of Charles I and through these became known to the English King. In 1628 he was invited to the English court and there painted a number of portraits of the Charles I and his Queen, as well as several leading courtiers.

The identification is based on an old inscription and the resemblance to other images of the Princess by Honthorst of the same date. Princess Sophia was the twelfth child of the King and Queen of Bohemia; here she appears aged eighteen in a portrait probably painted in The Hague, where the family were living as Royal exiles.

The sitter is holding a spray of flowers in her left hand, wearing a blue silk dress with a diamond-shaped jewel brooch with pendant pearl at the breast.