The HMS Prince Royal was a prominent first-rate warship of the English navy, launched in 1610 and constructed by Phineas Pett I at Woolwich. Originally armed with 55 guns, she was notable for being the first ship of the line with three complete gun decks. Initially, her upper deck had no guns in the waist area, and featured a stepped-down aft section due to her pronounced sheer. This design was later altered in a 1621 refit, which made all three gun decks continuous. Throughout her service life, the Prince Royal underwent significant rebuilds. Between 1639 and 1641, she was reconstructed by Peter Pett at Woolwich into a 70-gun first-rate ship. During the Commonwealth period, she was renamed Resolution and participated in most battles of the First Anglo-Dutch War, reflecting her importance in naval combat. By 1660, she carried 80 guns, and following the Stuart Restoration, she was renamed Royal Prince. A subsequent rebuild between 1661 and 1663 at Woolwich Dockyard under Sir Phineas Pett II expanded her further to a 92-gun first-rate ship, reinforcing her status as a formidable vessel. Her maritime significance is underscored by her role as the flagship during key battles. She fought at the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665 under Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich, and served as the flagship of Vice-Admiral George Ayscue during the famous Four Days Battle in 1666. Unfortunately, during this engagement, she ran aground on Galloper Sand. Dutch fireships encircled her, and after the crew panicked, she was surrendered to Dutch forces. Her steering was irreparably damaged, and in accordance with Dutch orders, she was burned on 3 June 1666 to prevent her recapture, marking the end of her distinguished service.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.