Portrait of George, Prince of Wales

William Beechey's Portrait of George, Prince of Wales from 1798 depicts the future King George IV, whose extravagant lifestyle and complicated personal affairs made him one of the most controversial figures in Hanoverian Britain. Beechey, who succeeded Reynolds as the favored portrait painter of the royal family, produced numerous portraits of the Prince that balanced the requirements of official portraiture with acknowledgment of his subject's famous physical presence and fashionable taste.

Beechey's polished technique renders the Prince with the smooth, flattering finish expected of royal portraiture. The careful rendering of military uniform details and the commanding pose follow the conventions of official royal portrait painting.