Sir Richard Steele (1672--1729), celebrated playwright and author started his life in the army. A life long Whig, he was an ardent supporter of William of Orange, he published his first play in 1702, but his fame rests nowadays on his foundation of the Tattler, the first great eighteenth Century periodical. Subsequently, he founded in partnership with Addison the other great literary light of the age, The Spectator, and later The Guardian. His strong political afiliations meant that he spent his life in and out of favour at Court, and was always plagued by debt.

In 1707 he married his second wife Mary Scurlock, the "Pretty Molly", referred to in the inscription, who brought him a considerable fortune, which was quickly swallowed up by his extravagant ways and his debts, but who made him miserable by her bossy demeanor. He died in 1729.

The depiction of William III on this box without his consort Mary suggests a date between 1695, the date of her death, and 1702, the date of his death. It is unlikely that the box was presented by William to Steel "at the revolution" in 1688, as Steele would have been seventeen at the time, but it is more likely to have been given to Steele during his later military career, circa 1695.