This portrait depicts Anne Montgomery (c.1752–1819), daughter of Sir William Montgomery of Magbiehill, 1st Baronet (1717–1788) and Hannah Tomkyns. She married George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend in 1773 and, as his second wife, bore him six children and also became stepmother to the surviving children from his previous marriage. In 1795, she became mistress of the robes to Caroline, Princess of Wales, a position she held until 1808.

This pastel has much in common with Hamilton’s earlier portrait of Anne’s stepson’s wife, Charlotte Ellerker (RN32). She adopts the same three-quarters pose, typical of Hamilton’s small oval portraits, but unlike RN32, the artist has made limited use of graphite, largely preferring to render the details of the portrait in pastel.

Anne was painted by other leading artists including Sir Joshua Reynolds, who painted her together with her sisters in his Grand Manner group portrait Three Ladies adorning Hymen of 1773 (Tate N00079). Reynolds also painted Anne in a fashionable full-length pose following her marriage to George Townshend (Legion of Honor Museum, San Francisco, 75.2.13).