George, Prince of Wales (1762-1830) is wearing the star of the Order of the Garter. His brilliant blue coat indicates his allegiance to the Whig parliamentary party. In 1784, the Prince made a toast to 'True blue and Mrs Crewe' at a party given by the wife of John Crewe, Member of Parliament for Cheshire and blue became closely associated with the Whigs from then on. The miniature is set in a narrow gold rim mounted on purple velvet in a Hatfield ebony and tortoiseshell easel frame.

Richard Cosway (1742-1821) was born in Devon, the son of the headmaster of Blundell's school, Tiverton. The family were prosperous, and owned a woollen business and property. At the age of 12, Richard was sent to London to study drawing under Thomas Hudson at Shipley's drawing school. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1769 and exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1770 and 1806. He married Maria Hadfield in 1781, an accomplished artist herself. The couple had one daughter, who died at the age of seven. Richard Cosway's portrait of Maria Fitzherbert attracted the attention of the Prince of Wales who appointed him as his official miniature painter in 1786 and general advisor for the decoration of Carlton House, his residence in London. In 1811, however, Cosway lost the Prince's favour and his eyesight began to fail. He was eccentric and outlandish in behaviour and dress, but was an astute collector and acquired a fine collection of old master drawings. His miniatures are painted with a delicacy and fine modelling, and he developed the technique of using transparent pigments which allows the natural luminosity of the ivory to shine through.