Between 1860 and 1867 Victoria was in active service as flagship of Britain's Mediterranean Fleet under Vice-Admiral Robert Smart.

With a displacement of 412631⁄94 tons burthen she was the world's second largest wooden battleship after her sister ship HMS Howe.

[1] She was also the world's second largest warship until the completion of HMS Warrior, Britain's first ironclad battleship, in 1861.

During trials in Stokes Bay on 5 July 1860 Victoria reached a top speed of 11.797 knots (21.848 km/h),[2] making her the fastest three decker worldwide, along with the French Bretagne.

She first entered active service on 2 November 1864, when she became Flagship of the Mediterranean fleet under Vice-Admiral Robert Smart and Captain James Graham Goodenough (from 1865: Rear-Admiral Lord Clarence Paget, Captain Alan Henry Gardner).