A three-quarter length portrait of George Churchill, facing to the left. He wears a dark plum red velvet coat with gold embroidered buttons and button holes and a dark brown full bottom wig. His right hand rests on a baton, and his left is placed on his hip. A ship with a blue flag at the main is in the left background to denote his naval career.

As younger brother of the first Duke of Marlborough he was one of the first to place his ship ‘Newcastle’ at the Prince of Orange’s disposal during the revolution of 1688. After he was ignored for promotion to rear admiral he left the service for ten years, but in 1699 became a commissioner and in 1702 Admiral of the Blue. He was the chief influence on the Lord High Admiral Prince George. This position enabled his brother John, Duke of Marlborough to direct, through him, the main course of naval strategy during the early part of the war of the Spanish Succession. After his naval career, Churchill exercised important political influence during the Spanish War 1703-13. The portrait is signed and dated ‘G.Kneller, f:1704’ and inscribed ‘George Churchill, Admiral of ye Blue’. It was presented by King George IV to Greenwich Hospital Collection in 1824.