Prince William was a merchant vessel built in Newcastle in 1788 that served the Royal Navy under hire during two separate periods of conflict with France.
After her launch, Prince William worked commercial routes between England and the Baltic. The Royal Navy first hired her in 1797, designating her His Majesty’s hired armed ship Prince William during the French Revolutionary Wars. Under this arrangement she operated as an armed naval vessel while remaining privately owned. The Admiralty returned her to her owners when that contract ended, then hired her again during the Napoleonic Wars for a second term of service. This practice of hiring merchant ships allowed the Navy to expand its fleet rapidly during wartime without the expense of building dedicated warships, particularly useful for convoy escort, patrol work and supply routes where converted traders could perform effectively alongside purpose-built naval vessels.
