Mary of Modena crossed over from Calais to Dover on 21 November [OS]/21 December 1673. She was met by the Duke of York and they were declared married soon after the landing. They stayed in Dover for two nights, and then went through Canterbury and Rochester to Gravesend, where they were met by the king, Charles II, in the barges on 26 November [OS]/6 December, and a royal procession was made to Whitehall that morning.

The drawing shows the six yachts and three escorting ships near the coast of France with the ‘Cleveland’ yacht to the left of the centre, with the Union flag at the masthead. Astern of her to the right is the galliot-rigged ‘Merlin’ yacht, and the other yachts. In the background the three ships ‘Mary’, ‘Monck’, and ‘Bristol’ are firing a salute, and on the left is a high coastline.