Alice Loxton

And she's this diplomatic pawn in this great tangled web of European politics.

The marriage is a great strategic alliance arranged by her father, King John IV of Portugal.

And this is quite a common thing at the time for royal families to use marriage as a way to forge these partnerships.

Nonetheless, she lands in Portsmouth on the 14th of May.

1662.

It's been a terrible journey.

She's been thrown around, tossed about in the sea by the storms.

But finally, she steps off the boat, no doubt hugely relieved.

And what is the first thing she asks for on dry land?

Can you guess?

Not quite.

Catherine of Braganza asks for a cup of tea.

And unfortunately, much to her disappointment, they don't have one to give her.

So though tea had actually already arrived in the UK by this point in the 1650s, and we know this because of the famous diarist Samuel Pepys, it wasn't actually popular yet.

So the princess on arrival was offered, you're right, Ben, a small ale instead.

She'd love an airport spoons, I'm sure.

Now, a week later, Charles II comes down to Portsmouth.

And on this day, he meets Catherine of Braganza for the first time and they get married.

Well, it's quite low key, I suppose you might say, but they do go to London later on and they process into London.

And, you know, that's a great celebration.