On September 18, a Royal Navy squadron under Robert Stopford approached Kristiansand's eastern harbour intending on capturing Prinds Christian Fredrik, which was anchored there.

[6] At the beginning of 1808, HDMS Prinds Christian Frederik was in Norway to carry supplies to the Royal Dano-Norwegian Army.

Despite illness aboard, and with a large part of the crew newly replaced, the ship was ordered in March to protect the transfer of troops over the Great Belt (Storebælt).

On March 23, the captured HMS Prinds Christian Frederik remained firmly aground despite British efforts to refloat it.

After they had removed all the dead and wounded aboard the ship, the British decided to set fire to the immobile hulk instead upon realizing they were unable to move it.