This pair of watercolours were reputedly given to François by the King. François Jean Duval was born in Geneva and came to London before 1748. He was appointed jeweller to George III. Queen Charlotte had descriptive plates attached to her jewel boxes, one of which read: 'This box contains the great pearls which the King calls family pearls, and were given to me at my arrival in England in 1761; they were by the King's leave, and the recommendation of Mr Duval and then King's jeweller...'.

There is another drawing of Queen Charlotte by John downman (formerly in the collection of E.M. Hodgkins repr. G.C. Williamson, John Downman, A.R.A., London 1979, opp. p. VIII) which is inscribed on the reverse by the artist: 'Her Majesty of England, 1783 1st sitting. She was Sophia Charlotte, Princess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She sat in the Queen's closet, Buckingham House. His Majesty came in with Lords North and Grantham and two others. Presently the two eldest Princesses. '.... I also drew their portraits and grouped in whole lengths, and a whole length of the Queen for the Duches of Ancaster, and two others.'
A full length drawing of Queen Charlotte, seated in an interior was sold in these Rooms, 9 July 1991, lot 55 (¨6,500).

The head of George III appears to be a copy of the head from Gainsborough's full-length portrait in the Royal Collection, exhibited R.A. 1781, no. 146 and of which a number of head and shoulder versions were painted by such artists as Richard Collins