The sitter is the Hon. Charles Hugh Lindsay (1816-89), a soldier, courtier and Conservative politician who also served as groom-in-waiting to Queen Victoria. He was the third son of the 7th Earl of Balcarres and the 24th Earl of Crawford. The portrait was possibly painted between 1881 and 1889 and depicts Lindsay in heavy medieval armour. The armour worn by Lindsay has been identified in the Wallace Collection (German, c. 1510, No A22) and the visitors book records that the artist visited Hertford House in July 1877 and again in May 1878.

The portrait was exhibited at the Grosvenor Galley, London in 1889 and was very favourably reviewed in the Illustrated London News: 'The place of honour in the room is given to Princess Louise's portrait of the late Colonel Charles Lindsay…He is represented in this picture…in a very heavy suit of mail – which nevertheless, brings out in good relief his manly, but modern head. The work is far above that which one is accustomed to find amongst amateurs.'

The Grosvenor Gallery had been founded in 1877 by Sir Coutts Lindsay (1824-1913) (a distant relation of Charles) and his first wife as an alternative to the Royal Academy. It exhibited works by the Pre-Raphaelites and later became the focus for the Aesthetic Movement.

Princess Louise (1848-1939), fourth daughter of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) was a talented amateur artist and sculptress. In 1871 she married John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne (1845-1914). He was appointed Governor General of Canada from 1878-83 and during this time in Ottawa they did much to promote and encourage the arts. The Royal Collection holds numerous drawings, paintings and sculptures by Princess Louise.