The arrival of His Majesty George the Fourth at Gravesend, after having visited Edinburgh. 1st Septr 1822 RMG PZ7706

The arrival of His Majesty George the Fourth at Gravesend, after having visited Edinburgh. 1st Septr 1822. Ships in order: The Sea Heron? pleasure yacht belonging to Mr. B. Capper?; the James Watt (1821) towing HM Yacht Royal George; HMS Prince Regent (ship, 1820) on the starboard quarter of the Royal George; the Marquess of Anglesea's yacht; His Majesty's gun-brig Flamer, Captain Walsh (Inspector of Aliens at Gravesend Station); and the Woolwich yacht Thames Capt C. Cunningham, Commissioner of Deptford & Woolwich yards.
George IV's visit to Scotland, the first since Charles II, was closely followed by artists, among them J.M.W. Turner, who was present. On his father's death in 1793 J.T. Serres succeeded Dominic as marine painter to George III but because of his marriage to Olivia Wilmot, the self-styled Princess Olive of Cumberland, he lost royal favour. In 1818 he fled to Edinburgh to escape his wife's creditors and was imprisoned.
This is one of a series of four watercolours by Serres of George IV's progress by sea from London to Edinburgh. It is signed and dated 1822.

The arrival of His Majesty George the Fourth at Gravesend, after having visited Edinburgh. 1st Sept 1822