H.M.S. Royal Sovereign emerging from her refit and lying in the Hamoaze, Plymouth Sound

H.M.S. Royal Sovereign, a 100-gun First Rate ship-of-the-line was launched in 1786. The work offered above depicts Royal Sovereign moored in the Hamoaze, where she was being refitted during the summer of 1805 before she set sail to join Nelson off the coast of Spain where she played a pivotal role in the English victory at Trafalgar under the command of Admiral Collingwood. Here she is flanked by the lighter Unity, and H.M.S. Pallas, the 36-gun frigate is seen being towed up the river. The small frigate moored astern of Royal Sovereign is a French prize. On the far left is a 74-gun ship-of-the-line in the dock just vacated by Royal Sovereign.

After an illustrious career H.M.S. Royal Sovereign was laid up after her wartime service in 1815. Renamed Captain in 1825, she became a receiving ship at Plymouth, where she remained until being broken up there in 1841.