Stanley wears the full-plate armour of a Cuirassier or Heavy Cavalryman and in his right hand holds a baton. He is wearing a Lesser George, the insignia of the Order of the Garter (a badge depicting St George slaying the Dragon) on a gold chain around his neck. The KG in the inscription identifies him as a Knight of the Garter, an order to which he was admitted in 1650. The portrait confirms Stanley’s status as a commanding officer. It also shows him to be a true supporter of the Royalist cause and held in high esteem by his King. A rocky outcrop forms the background along with an encampment of cavalry troops bearing the Royal Standard and the Stanley emblem of the Eagle and Child. James Stanley stands in the foreground as their commanding officer, possibly waiting to lead them into battle.