William IV, the third son of George III, entered the Royal Navy at the age of 13, serving during the American Revolutionary War while stationed in the West Indies, where he formed a close friendship with Nelson. He left the service in 1790 as a Rear Admiral, later becoming Admiral of the Fleet and, in 1827, Lord High Admiral on the orders of his brother George IV - but not for long, as he was soon in dispute with the Admiralty. He became King in 1830 and died in 1837.
In 1833, William IV designated the Club the ‘Royal Yacht Squadron of which he was graciously pleased to consider himself the head’. He referred to the Club ‘as an institution of such national utility’ as it promoted naval science and architecture and kept many seamen employed, subject to naval discipline, in peacetime - in effect, an active naval reserve.