It formed part of the stately quadrille in which the Great Powers of Europe repeatedly switched partners to try to build a superior alliance.
France faced an uncertain succession, as its new king Louis XV was a child and the Regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans was his heir by the terms of the Peace of Utrecht.
On 4 January 1717, it became the Triple Alliance when the Dutch Republic joined Britain and France against the looming threat of a resurgent Spain.
That threat proved real when Spain recaptured Sardinia from Habsburg Austria with little opposition in August–October 1717, which was then followed by a Spanish landing in Sicily in July 1718.
The French failure to support the British during the Anglo-Spanish War (1727–1729) convinced many that they were no longer a reliable ally but were instead returning to the traditional position of a rival.