The marine industry is mourning David King, the founder of Princess Yachts, whose vision, engineering background and commitment to British boatbuilding helped transform a small Plymouth venture into one of the world’s best-known luxury yacht manufacturers.
For more than six decades, King was closely associated with Princess and remained a respected presence within the business long after stepping back from its day-to-day leadership. His influence extended well beyond the yachts themselves, shaping the company’s approach to engineering, craftsmanship, skills development and manufacturing in Plymouth.
Princess Yachts was founded in 1965 as Marine Projects (Plymouth) Ltd by David King, Cliff Viney and Brian Phillips. The company’s origins can be traced to an earlier decision by the three friends to establish a boat charter business. Their first project, the 31ft Project 31, ultimately demonstrated that there was a market for their boats and set the company on a very different course.
From a Plymouth shed to a global yacht builder
Project 31 was sold for £3,400, with the founders later discovering that it had cost £3,460 to build. Rather than discouraging them, the experience became part of the entrepreneurial story behind Princess.
King had studied engineering at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, while serving in the Royal Navy. That technical foundation became central to his approach to yacht building, particularly his belief that quality depended on combining good design and engineering with skilled people.
The early years of Marine Projects were characterised by a need to develop capabilities internally. Britain’s specialist marine supply chain was considerably less developed than it is today, encouraging the company to build expertise within its own organisation.
That approach ultimately contributed to Princess becoming a highly integrated yacht builder, bringing together designers, engineers and skilled craftspeople around the manufacturing process.
The company’s Plymouth roots also remained central to King’s vision. While British manufacturing was increasingly exposed to international competition, he continued to invest in the city and its workforce, helping create employment and supporting a wider network of specialist marine suppliers across the South West.
Princess itself continues to identify Plymouth as its home, with designers, engineers, carpenters and metalworkers working across its shipyards.
The Princess 45 changed the company’s trajectory
One of the defining milestones in Princess’s development came in 1982 with the launch of the Princess 45.
At the time, it was the largest production motor yacht built in the UK. The model significantly expanded the company’s reach, attracting international customers and helping establish Princess as a serious competitor in the global luxury motor yacht market.
The success of the Princess 45 demonstrated that a British yacht builder could compete internationally on the combination of design, engineering, performance and craftsmanship.
International expansion subsequently became a major part of the company’s growth. Princess says its yachts are now exported to more than 100 countries, with its products carrying British design and manufacturing expertise into markets around the world.
The company celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025, marking six decades since its establishment in Plymouth.
A legacy built around people
Perhaps the most significant part of King’s legacy was not a particular yacht or business milestone, but his belief in the people behind the product.
He regarded exceptional yachts as the result of exceptional teams and consistently placed emphasis on designers, engineers, craftspeople and apprentices.
That philosophy remains particularly relevant to the UK marine industry, where the availability and development of skilled labour continues to be a strategic issue for boatbuilders, shipyards and suppliers.
Princess’s continued investment in Plymouth helped preserve and develop specialist manufacturing skills while creating opportunities for new generations entering the marine sector.
King’s influence also extended into the communities around him. His support for charitable causes, including St Luke’s Hospice, and his involvement in efforts to help fishing communities in Sri Lanka following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami reflected a more personal side of his contribution.
Commercial impact beyond Princess
The significance of David King’s career extends beyond Princess Yachts itself.
The company’s development provided an important example of how British manufacturing could build an internationally recognised luxury marine brand while retaining a substantial production base in the UK.
Princess has since produced tens of thousands of yachts for customers around the world, while its Plymouth operations have supported a broader ecosystem of designers, engineers, tradespeople, subcontractors and marine suppliers.
For the wider British marine sector, that legacy is significant. Princess demonstrates how investment in technical skills, manufacturing capability and product development can create a long-term industrial footprint rather than simply a successful consumer brand.
It is also a reminder of the economic importance of established boatbuilding clusters such as Plymouth, where specialist knowledge can accumulate across generations.
A founder who kept looking forward
Despite the scale of what he created, King was known for his reluctance to place himself at the centre of Princess’s achievements.
His focus remained on improvement: the next idea, the next design and the next yacht.
That attitude continued into the later stages of his association with Princess. In 2025, as the company marked its 60th anniversary, King featured prominently in its retrospective work, including a documentary looking at the company’s origins and its future. Princess described the anniversary not simply as a celebration of its history, but as a bridge towards its next 60 years.
The company’s current leadership has also spoken about King’s continuing influence. In a 2026 interview, Princess CEO Will Green described King as a mentor and highlighted his enduring connection with the business.
What happens next for Princess Yachts?
King’s passing marks the end of a remarkable personal chapter in the history of Princess Yachts, but the business he helped create continues to evolve.
The company is developing its next generation of products, including its Odyssey superyacht series and C Class centre-console powerboats, while maintaining its long-standing focus on design, engineering and craftsmanship.
The challenge for Princess is therefore not simply to preserve King’s legacy, but to continue applying the principles that defined it: investing in people, questioning established approaches and continually seeking ways to improve the product.
David King’s greatest contribution to the marine industry may ultimately be the example he set for British boatbuilding.
He demonstrated that a company could start with a small team, a modest facility and a single boat, then build an internationally recognised manufacturing business without losing sight of its people or its home.
For Princess Yachts, his legacy is visible in every yacht that leaves Plymouth. For the wider marine industry, it is found in the skills, careers, suppliers and manufacturing expertise that grew alongside the company.
Perhaps the most fitting tribute to David King is therefore not simply to look back at what he built, but to continue doing what he believed in: asking questions, developing people and striving to build something better.
Princess Yachts has extended its deepest sympathies to King’s wife, family and loved ones.