Duke Ernest was Prince Albert's older brother. He was in England in July and August 1842 with his new wife, Alexandrine, whose portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter is also in the Royal Collection (RCIN 404512). The Duke is in the uniform of Major-General of the Royal Saxonian Garde-Reiter Regiment. He wears the stars of the Family Order of Saxe-Ernest and the Order of Fidelity (of Baden). His badges include the Juanita Order of Prussia, the White Falcon of Saxe-Weimar, the Order of Christ (of Portugal) and the Order of Leopold. The architecture in the background was initially painted further to the left.

Inscribed on the back with the names of the artist and sitter and the date, 1842. There is also a contemporary inscription in chalk: 'No 2 John Lucas'.