A watercolour portrait of Ernest, Duke of Cumberland, in military uniform.

This drawing belongs to a series of 20 watercolour drawings of portraits of the family of George III, copied after paintings by Thomas Gainsborough, William Beechey, Thomas Lawrence and Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun. The drawings were contained in an album dedicated by Edward Harding and presented to Queen Charlotte in 1806; the drawings were removed from the album in 1939. Harding published a series of prints after these drawings in May 1806. This drawing is after a portrait by Beechey. 

Harding was the brother of Silvester Harding and served as Librarian to Queen Charlotte at Frogmore from 1803 until her death in 1818. He was later employed by George IV from his accession until 1825, and assisted with arrangement of his print volumes.