HMS Sylvia was a Royal Navy ship built in 1897 for use as a yacht by the British Royal Family. The ship was named after Princess Sylvia, the eldest daughter of Prince Louis of Battenberg. Initially, it served as a royal yacht for King Edward VII and later for King George V. During World War I, HMS Sylvia was converted into a minesweeper and served in the Mediterranean and the North Sea. After the war, it was refitted as a yacht for King George V and Queen Mary. The ship was eventually sold to a private owner in 1928 and was used for cruising and racing until it was requisitioned by the Royal Navy during World War II. Following the war, HMS Sylvia was returned to its civilian owner and remained in private hands until it was broken up for scrap in the 1950s. The ship had a long and varied history, serving both as a royal yacht and a naval vessel, highlighting its versatility and importance in British maritime history.

This description has been generated using GPT-3.5-TURBO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.