This portrait depicts Prince Carlos (1545-1568), heir to the Spanish throne and son of Felipe II (1556-1598), by his first wife and cousin, Manuela de Portugal (1528-1545).

This work idealizes the Prince's face and body when, in fact, he was born with grave physical and psychological malformations that may have been due to his parents' inbreeding. Both his clothing —a cape lined with lynx fur and a yellow jerkin— and his frontal pose help to disguise these characteristics.

The figure of Jupiter and an eagle carrying the column of Hercules are visible through a window in the background. These symbols of the Hapsburg Dynasty clearly alluded to the dynastic succession.

This work was cut down at some point, which removed the artist's signature. It is listed in the inventory of the Alcázar Palace in Madrid in 1636.

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