The German artist Johan Zoffany arrived in London in 1760 and soon established a reputation for informal conversation pieces in which accurate and lively portraits were set in surroundings showing the sitters’ taste and circumstances. John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, commissioned portraits of his children from Zoffany c.1763-4 and probably introduced the artist to the King and Queen. The King nominated Zoffany to the new Royal Academy in 1769. He remained in favour for a further ten years, but after the unfavourable reception of The Tribuna was supplanted by other, younger artists.

This portrait was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1773 and must have been painted at the same time as the conversation piece including the sitter (OM 1207, 401004, also exhibited at the RA in 1773), that is immediately before Zoffany's departure for Italy in the summer of 1772. This portrait is first mentioned after this being sent from St James's Palace to Frogmore House in 1805, where it hung with other family members in the Eating Room.

The sitter was Queen Charlotte's youngest brother who spend much of his time in England and was a loyal supporter of George III, who made him a General in the British army in 1788. He is here shown resting his right arm on the back of a chair; he wears scarlet Hanoverian military uniform with the ribbon and star of the White Eagle, a Polish order.