Britain's entry into the Nine Years’ War (1689–97) initiated the longest period of British engagement in warfare since the Middle Ages. Regiments from England and Scotland became part of a multi-national ‘confederate army’ fighting to halt French expansionism in Europe, and William assumed overall command. These additional military responsibilities inevitably altered the way William operated as King of England. The shift in his style of kingship first became visually explicit in the summer of 1690 when William took on the mantle of warrior-king and led allied forces against James II in Ireland. In subsequent years he would remain in that role, leading the allied campaign each summer in continental Europe. This change in function led to an upsurge in William's ceremonial performances during the periods the king and his entourage journeyed to and from war – initially in the Midlands then through the south-east of England – and when on campaign, thereby increasing his visibility outside the palace setting. Travelling overseas and living in open-air military camps for much of the year meant that greater numbers were exposed to William in wartime than when England was at peace. But William's decision to lead his troops in battle had significant political ramifications in the domestic arena. The joint monarchy was a unique creation, which, as we saw in the last chapter, created representational difficulties for William and Mary. Nonetheless, the onset of war produced further anomalies that largely remain unexplored, particularly in the realm of ceremonial culture and William's position in Europe. With William away for months at a time the joint monarchy had to be reconfigured, triggering a redistribution of political power between William and Mary. During the periods William was on campaign, Mary became queen regent with overall responsibility for government, and on his return to England she reverted to her role as consort. These temporary shifts in political power increased Mary's visibility while William was on campaign and, as argued by Lois Schwoerer, affected the way Mary was presented artistically. But these changes also had an impact on the ceremonial workings of the court in a way that enhanced Mary's agency.

In this chapter we look at the ways in which William and Mary used ceremony and ritual to present themselves to the public in wartime.