The Three Youngest Daughters of George III - John Singleton Copley

A portrait of Princesses Mary, Sophia, and Amelia, the youngest daughters of King George III, captured in a garden setting by John Singleton Copley.

John Singleton Copley painted this group portrait of Princesses Mary, Sophia, and Amelia in 1785. The work depicts the youngest children of King George III and Queen Charlotte in a garden setting. Copley, an American artist who relocated to London, moved away from his earlier colonial portrait style to adopt the grand manner favoured by the British aristocracy.

The composition features the three princesses engaged in play. Princess Mary stands to the left, holding a tambourine, while Princess Sophia sits in a small carriage pushed by Princess Amelia. Two spaniels occupy the foreground, adding a sense of movement to the scene. Above them, a parrot perches on a branch, framed by grapevines that create a natural archway. The background reveals a soft, atmospheric sky, typical of the romanticised outdoor portraiture popular during the late eighteenth century.

Copley demonstrates his technical skill in the rendering of the children's silk dresses and the soft textures of the dogs' fur. The lighting is carefully managed to draw attention to the faces of the princesses, while the surrounding foliage provides a darker contrast. This painting remains a representative example of royal portraiture from the period, capturing the innocence of childhood within a formal, structured environment. The work is currently held in the Royal Collection, reflecting the close relationship Copley developed with the British royal family during his time in London. His ability to balance the demands of formal portraiture with a more relaxed, narrative quality is evident here, as he moves beyond static posing to suggest a fleeting moment of royal domestic life.