HMS Loyal was a L-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the late 1930s, although she was not completed until after World War II had begun.

The L-class destroyers were designed as enlarged and improved versions of the preceding J class equipped with dual-purpose guns.

The turbines developed a total of 48,000 shaft horsepower (36,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph).

The ships carried a maximum of 567 long tons (576 t) of fuel oil that gave them a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

Their light anti-aircraft suite was composed of one quadruple mount for 2-pounder "pom-pom" guns and six single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon.