It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.
The event is named after Cumberland Lodge, the location of a successful 18th-century stud.
The Cumberland Lodge Stakes was established in 1951, and it was initially contested over two miles.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the event was classed at Group 3 level.
The Cumberland Lodge Stakes was formerly held in September, but it was switched to early October in 2011.