Ernest, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, later Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, was the elder son of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and Louise, daughter of Emilius Augustus, Duke of Saxe-Gotha. He married, in 1842, Alexandrine, eldest daughter of Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden, but they had no children, leading to the reversion of the title to Prince Alfred, second son of Prince Albert. As well as a great patron of the arts and sciences in Coburg, Ernst composed songs, hymns and musical pieces for opera and the theatre.

A scene from Walter Scott's novel 'Woodstock' written in 1826, and set just after the English Civil War. The plot revolves around Charles II's escape from the country after the battle of Worcester. Here Sir Henry Lee, Ranger of the royal lodge and park of Woodstock, and his daughter Alice, are surprised by the appearance of Charles II who, disguised as the page Louis Kerneguy, initiates an attempt to court her.

On a moonlit night a young man attempts to enter a room through the window; within, a young lady in white threatens him with a pistol; her aged father sits in a tall-backed chair beside her, preparing to take his sword from a table top.

The artist's brother, Prince Albert, also represented scenes from Woodstock in drawings, some of which were then etched by Queen Victoria (see RCIN 816125).