[1] A member of the Protestant Ascendancy, Moira served in the British Army during the American War of Independence.

In 1806, he served in the Ministry of All the Talents as Master General of the Ordnance, the senior military position in the cabinet.

In 1812, during the Regency era Moira was considered a prospective Prime Minister by George, now Prince Regent, but was unable to form a compromise cabinet between Whigs and Tories.

Instead in 1813, he accepted the lesser but lucrative position of Governor-General of India which he held for a decade.

[2] Begun in 1789 and finished by the next year, it was one of the last times Reynolds directly depicted a sitter due to his failing eyesight.