The Civil Commissioner of Malta, Captain Alexander Ball, was dissatisfied with the regiment's lack of discipline, and wanted the men to be sent abroad to Gibraltar or Sicily.

The Royal Regiment of Malta reached its peak strength of 942 men in 1807, when it consisted of ten companies.

The men embarked from Milazzo to reinforce the garrison of Capri in September 1808, occupying the town of Diamante on the way.

The companies of the Royal Regiment of Malta were distributed between the main town of Capri and the rest of the island.

The regiment was disbanded by Hildebrand Oakes at Fort Tigné on 26 April 1811, and the men were encouraged to join other British military units serving in the Mediterranean, or the Maltese Provincial Battalion.