George Talbot (1529-1590) became 6th Earl of Shrewsbury in 1560 and from 1569 was entrusted with the custody of the captive Mary, Queen of Scots. Talbot was chosen because of his immense properties and his several castles in which he could keep Mary with little danger. In the first year of her captivity, a rescue operation was attempted by Leonard Dacre. Mary was then moved more than six times during that first year. Eventually she was taken to Sheffield Castle, Shrewsbury's seat, where she stayed for the next fourteen years. By 1574 Shrewsbury was anxious to have the Queen taken out of his charge, but he had to wait for another ten years before her custody was entrusted to Sir Ralph Sadler. However, in 1587 Shrewsbury was appointed to preside at Mary's execution.
According to the inscriptions on the drawing, this portrait was executed in 1582, when Shrewsbury was holding Mary at Sheffield ('Chiffilde') Castle.