With the death of George I in 1727, the Prince of Wales, George II, ascended the throne of England. Although he had been on poor terms with Handel while his father was alive, the new king lost no time in reacquainting himself with his old friend. In honor of the of the Prince's accession, Handel revised his opera Riccardo Primo (Richard I), which had been sketched the previous year, for performance. It was originally intended for the Royal Academy of Music's 1626 season, but Handel and Rolli's (the librettist) changes made the most of its patriotic elements, turning Riccardo (already an heroic opera, dealing with the victories of Richard the Lion Heart) into a true piece d'occasion. Premiered at the King's Theatre in London on November 11, 1727, Riccardo Primo became the fourth of Handel's operas to pay homage to the royal family (the others being Scipione, Alessandro, and Admeto).

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