In May 1660 William was brought back from Leiden to join in the celebrations marking the restoration of his uncle, Charles II, to the English throne. The Stuarts rode in triumph through The Hague. In the procession, nine-year-old William sat on the knee of his uncle and future father-in-law, James, Duke of York.

The States-General of the Dutch Republic were so eager to ingratiate themselves with England's new monarch that they hosted a great banquet, which the young Prince William attended. Hundreds of English visitors converged on The Hague and many came to pay their respects to the son of the Princess Royal. Samuel Pepys, who had organised the ships which were to convey the Royal Family home from exile, thought Prince William a 'very prettie boy' and his tutor a fine man.

William's mother had always regarded Stuart and Orange fortunes as one.

Now that her brother was restored to his throne, she hoped that her son would also regain his position in the Dutch Republic. Johann de Witt agreed to repeal the Act of Seclusion, but refused to guarantee that William would be given the traditional offices of his House, those of Stadholder and Captain-General, on reaching maturity.

Still, Charles had always been kind to his nephew and William had every reason to hope, as family, that the restored King would support his interests. He could not have been more wrong.