Charlotte (1744–1818), Consort of George III

This 1773 portrait of Queen Charlotte at the Royal Hospital Chelsea represents a later phase of Ramsay's royal commission work, more than a decade after the original 1762 state portraits. By the early 1770s Ramsay was spending increasing time on Italian studies and travel, delegating much studio production to assistants, and the question of autograph versus studio execution is a recurring one for works from this period. The Royal Hospital Chelsea had been founded by Charles II and served as a home for veteran soldiers, and royal portraits in such locations carried both decorative and ceremonial functions. Charlotte had by 1773 been queen for over a decade and was the mother of numerous children; this later portrait would reflect the consolidation of her public image. Ramsay's continued involvement with the royal portraits into the 1770s demonstrates the durability of the template he established in 1762.

Later Ramsay royal portraits — whether autograph or studio — maintain the compositional and technical conventions established in 1762. The elaborate state dress provides opportunity for fine rendering of lace, embroidery, and jewellery, while the face follows the established likeness template. Studio repetition can sometimes show in slightly mechanical brushwork, though Ramsay's best autograph passages remain distinctive.