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 is one of a pair of double portraits of the four eldest children of George III (presumably therefore commissioned by him), paired off by age: Prince George with Prince Frederick (OM 1203, 404593) and Prince William with Princess Charlotte (OM 1204, 404504). They both acquired their unusual format when some 35cm of canvas was folded over at the top and 8cm at the bottom, presumably in order to fit them as overdoors in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, where they are recorded in 1841. Prior to this however they seemed to have moved around, without an obvious home.

It is always difficult to say how seriously Zoffany should be read, but this image seems especially to be exploiting charming incongruity, as if the children and dog have mischievously climbed up into this grand assemblage of architecture, drapery and flower arrangement. The children are standing on a stone ledge at the foot of a colonnade beside a basket of flowers with a dog jumping towards them; the Prince is in Van Dyck costume and holds his sister's hand.