William Carnegie, 7th Duke of Northesk (1756-1831), 1805 (oil on canvas)

Creator: Thomas Phillips Carnegie, a younger son of the Admiral Sixth Earl of Northesk, entered the Navy in 1771 and became a captain in 1782. From 1788, after the death of his elder brothers, he was styled Lord Rosehill and succeeded to the earldom in 1792. As captain of the 'Monmouth' during the Nore mutiny of 1797, he was sent by their committee of delegates as an emissary to the king. In 1803 he was appointed to the 'Britannia', remaining with her until he became a rear-admiral in April 1804 and, was sent to reinforce Calder off Cadiz in August 1805. 'Britannia' thus came under Nelson's command on his return to that station and was seventh ship in his weather line at Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. For his services Carnegie was made a Knight of the Bath and also received the flag officer's gold medal. He stayed ashore from 1806 but rose by seniority to Admiral of the White and Rear Admiral of Great Britain in 1821. From 1827 to 1830 he was commander-in-chief at Plymouth and on his death was buried with Nelson and Collingwood in Saint Paul's Cathedral. This portrait shows him wearing peer robes over rear-admiral full-dress uniform,1795-1812. Thomas Phillips was a rising society portraitist, elected ARA in 1804 and RA in 1808. His portrait works, according to Samuel Redgrave, were 'characterised by simplicity of style and truthful finish, solid, and carefully executed'.