Honthorst was a Dutch painter born and trained in Utrecht. His early career was spent in Rome, where he attained great success as a follower of Caravaggio. In 1620 he returned to Utrecht and largely abandoned religious themes in favour of Arcadian and domestic subjects and portraits. During this period Honthorst received a number of commissions from the exiled Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia, sister of Charles I and through these became known to the English King. In 1628 he was invited to the English court and there painted a number of portraits of the Charles I and his Queen, as well as several leading courtiers.

The sitter married Princess Mary (daughter of Charles I) in 1641, when he was only fourteen. This portrait was painted at this time and may have been commissioned by Charles I or donated by the sitter’s father, the Stadholder Frederick Henry, as part of the diplomatic business surrounding the wedding. At the same time Charles I acquired portraits of identical sizes of Frederick Henry (CW 79, 404407) and his wife, Amalia van Solms, Princess of Orange (in the Royal Collection at the time of Queen Anne but subsequently disappeared).

Like his father, the boy is presented as a simple, manly, outdoor type; he wear hunting costume and holds a musket-rest, while soldiers muster in the background.

Early in the reign of George III this portrait was installed as an overdoor in its present position in the Queen’s Audience Chamber, Windsor. At this point about ten inches was cut off the left hand side of the canvas to make it fit.