41 William, Duke of Gloucester, son of Queen Anne (885). . . . . Kneller.
Bust; in an oval turned to the left, face seen in full. He is in armour, and has a blue ermine-lined cape. On canvas, 2½ ft. high, by 2 ft. wide.
The young duke, though of feeble constitution, was not deficient in martial spirit. When but a boy of six years old, he came to meet his uncle William of Orange, who had just returned from a campaign, with a little musket on his shoulder, and presented arms, saying, “I am learning my drill, that I may help you beat the French.” The king was so pleased that he made him a knight of the Garter a few days after. Many men have received that honour for less. He died in July 1700.
42 Prince George of Denmark, Husband of Queen Anne (884). . . . . Dahl.
In an oval, to the shoulders; in armour.—His death in this Palace has been mentioned on [page 22].
43 John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough . . . . . Jan Wyck.
Three-quarters length, in armour; face turned three-quarters to the left. His left hand is on his hip, his right on a table by his side, on which is a plumed helmet. A battle scene is shown in the lower right background. On canvas, 3 ft. high, by 2 ft. 4 in. wide. Lent by the Trustees of the National Portrait Gallery.
This portrait would seem to represent him as a comparatively young man—about twenty-three—after he had distinguished himself at Maestricht, when he was nicknamed by Turenne “the handsome Englishman.” It was the period of his famous liaison with the Duchess of Cleveland, who had fallen a willing victim to his beauty and his charm of manner. Lord Wolseley, in his “Life of Marlborough,” describes his appearance at this period as: “Strikingly handsome, with a profusion of fair hair, strongly-marked, well-shaped eyebrows, long eyelashes, blue eyes, and refined, clearly-cut features. A wart on his right upper-lip though large, did not detract from his good looks. He was tall, and his figure was remarkably graceful, although a contemporary says: ‘Il avait l’air trop indolent, et la taille trop effilé.’”