The nine ships served in a variety of roles throughout their careers. They primarily served in the Channel Fleet, though several took rotations in the Mediterranean Fleet, and "Victorious" served on the China Station in 1900–02. No longer frontline ships by the outbreak of World War I in July 1914, the vessels were used to protect the crossing of the British Expeditionary Force and various points on the British coast. In 1915, several of the ships were disarmed, their guns going to equip the s. The disarmed battleships were used as troop ships during the Dardanelles Campaign, and "Prince George" and "Majestic" were used to bombard enemy positions before "Majestic" was torpedoed by a German U-boat. The surviving ships were employed in secondary roles from 1915 onwards, and after the war, all were sold for scrapping in 1920–22. Only one, "Prince George", avoided the breakers' yards by wrecking off Camperduin.