Anne, Duchess of York, née Hyde (1637-1671), was the first wife of King James II. The eldest daughter of Sir Edward Hyde, created Earl of Clarendon in 1661, and Frances, daughter of Sir Thomas Aylesbury, Bt., she became a maid of honour to Mary, Princess of Orange, through whom she met James, Duke of York. Anne fell pregnant with James's child, and they were finally given permission by King Charles II, James's brother, to marry in September 1660, just a few months before the child's birth. Seven more children followed, but all except Mary and Anne (both future Queens of England) died in their infancy. Anne died from breast cancer in 1671.
Two other miniatures of Anne Hyde, Duchess of York, by Richard Gibson were sold Sotheby's, London, 24 October 1989, lot 303 and Bonham's, London, 25 November 2009, lot 5.