Due to problems encountered during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), the Admiralty attempted to modernise British ship designs with the 1745 Establishment.
On 29 August 1746, the Admiralty ordered construction of a 100-gun first rate of the new design, to be named Royal Anne.
She was laid down at Woolwich Dockyard in 1746 but was unfinished when the war ended in 1748, causing construction to slow.
The ship was renamed Royal George while under construction.
She was not completed until 1756, during the Diplomatic Revolution, a few months before the outbreak of the Seven Years' War (1756-63).
The ship was commissioned in October 1755, before she was ready to launch, with her first commander being Captain Richard Dorrill.
She was launched on 18 February 1756.
The largest warship in the world at the time, she displaced more than 2,000 tons and was the "eighteenth-century equivalent of a weapon of mass destruction".

Royal George joined the Western Squadron (also known as the Channel Fleet) under Admiral Sir Edward Hawke in May 1756, just as the Seven Years' War began.
Captain Dorrill was succeeded by Captain John Campbell in July 1756, who was in turn succeeded by Captain Matthew Buckle in early 1757.
 Royal George was used as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen in this period, including flying his flag during the Raid on Rochefort in September 1757.
Captain Piercy Brett took command in 1758, and Royal George became the flagship of Admiral Lord George Anson in the same year.
Brett was succeeded by Captain Alexander Hood in November 1758.
The former captain, Richard Dorrill, returned to command the ship the following year, until being invalided in June 1759.
Dorrill's replacement was another former captain, John Campbell, who commanded her during the blockade of the French fleet at Brest.
She became Sir Edward Hawke's flagship in early November 1759, when his previous flagship, Ramillies, went into dock for repairs.
Hawke commanded the fleet from Royal George at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759, where she sank the French ship Superbe.

Royal George was commanded by Captain William Bennett from March 1760, and she was present at the fleet review at Spithead in July that year.
John Campbell returned to command his old ship in August 1760, though Bennett was captain again by December.
Royal George joined Admiral Charles Hardy’s fleet in the Autumn of 1762.
With peace approaching, and the enormous cost of crewing and provisioning such a large ship, the crew were paid off on 18 December 1762.
The ship was laid up in ordinary at the conclusion of the war, along with most other first rates in the fleet.
Whilst laid up, Royal George underwent a major repair at Plymouth between 1765 and 1768.

The ship was reactivated after the outbreak of the American War of Independence (1775-83), being re-fitted for service at Portsmouth between May 1778 and April 1779.
She re-commissioned under Captain Thomas Hallum in July 1778, with command passing to Captain John Colpoys in November that year.
Royal George was again assigned to the Channel Fleet, where she was flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harland.
Vice-Admiral George Darby briefly replaced Harland in June 1779, then from August 1779 to December 1781 she was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir John Lockhart Ross.
Meanwhile, Captain Colpoys was replaced by Captain John Bourmaster in December 1779, and she joined Admiral Sir George Rodney's fleet in their mission to relieve Gibraltar.
Under Bourmaster, and flying Ross's flag, Royal George took part in the attack on the Caracas convoy on 8 January 1780, the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on 16 January, and took part in the successful relief of Gibraltar three days later.

Royal George returned to Britain with the rest of the fleet, and had her hull coppered in April 1780.
She returned to service that summer, serving with the Channel Fleet under Admiral Francis Geary, and then George Darby again from the autumn.
Both captain and admiral changed again in late 1781, Bourmaster being replaced by Captain Henry Cromwell, and
Due to problems encountered during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), the Admiralty attempted to modernise British ship designs with the 1745 Establishment. On 29 August 1746, the Admiralty ordered construction of a 100-gun first rate of the new design, to be named Royal Anne. She was laid down at Woolwich Dockyard in 1746 but was unfinished when the war ended in 1748, causing construction to slow. The ship was renamed Royal George while under construction. She was not completed until 1756, during the Diplomatic Revolution, a few months before the outbreak of the Seven Years' War (1756-63). The ship was commissioned in October 1755, before she was ready to launch, with her first commander being Captain Richard Dorrill. She was launched on 18 February 1756. The largest warship in the world at the time, she displaced more than 2,000 tons and was the "eighteenth-century equivalent of a weapon of mass destruction".
Royal George joined the Western Squadron (also known as the Channel Fleet) under Admiral Sir Edward Hawke in May 1756, just as the Seven Years' War began. Captain Dorrill was succeeded by Captain John Campbell in July 1756, who was in turn succeeded by Captain Matthew Buckle in early 1757.  Royal George was used as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Edward Boscawen in this period, including flying his flag during the Raid on Rochefort in September 1757. Captain Piercy Brett took command in 1758, and Royal George became the flagship of Admiral Lord George Anson in the same year. Brett was succeeded by Captain Alexander Hood in November 1758. The former captain, Richard Dorrill, returned to command the ship the following year, until being invalided in June 1759. Dorrill's replacement was another former captain, John Campbell, who commanded her during the blockade of the French fleet at Brest. She became Sir Edward Hawke's flagship in early November 1759, when his previous flagship, Ramillies, went into dock for repairs. Hawke commanded the fleet from Royal George at the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759, where she sank the French ship Superbe.
Royal George was commanded by Captain William Bennett from March 1760, and she was present at the fleet review at Spithead in July that year. John Campbell returned to command his old ship in August 1760, though Bennett was captain again by December. Royal George joined Admiral Charles Hardy’s fleet in the Autumn of 1762. With peace approaching, and the enormous cost of crewing and provisioning such a large ship, the crew were paid off on 18 December 1762. The ship was laid up in ordinary at the conclusion of the war, along with most other first rates in the fleet. Whilst laid up, Royal George underwent a major repair at Plymouth between 1765 and 1768.
The ship was reactivated after the outbreak of the American War of Independence (1775-83), being re-fitted for service at Portsmouth between May 1778 and April 1779. She re-commissioned under Captain Thomas Hallum in July 1778, with command passing to Captain John Colpoys in November that year. Royal George was again assigned to the Channel Fleet, where she was flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Harland. Vice-Admiral George Darby briefly replaced Harland in June 1779, then from August 1779 to December 1781 she was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir John Lockhart Ross. Meanwhile, Captain Colpoys was replaced by Captain John Bourmaster in December 1779, and she joined Admiral Sir George Rodney's fleet in their mission to relieve Gibraltar. Under Bourmaster, and flying Ross's flag, Royal George took part in the attack on the Caracas convoy on 8 January 1780, the Battle of Cape St. Vincent on 16 January, and took part in the successful relief of Gibraltar three days later.
Royal George returned to Britain with the rest of the fleet, and had her hull coppered in April 1780. She returned to service that summer, serving with the Channel Fleet under Admiral Francis Geary, and then George Darby again from the autumn. Both captain and admiral changed again in late 1781, Bourmaster being replaced by Captain Henry Cromwell, and
HMS Royal George (1756)