William Denny and Brothers built The Queen at Dumbarton as yard number 682.

[6] The Queen entered service on the Dover – Calais route,[7] making her maiden voyage on 27 June 1903.

On 1 June 1908[8] The Queen and another SECR ferry, Onward, collided in thick fog.

On 26 October 1914 she rescued more than 2,000 people from the Chargeurs Réunis ship Amiral Ganteaume, which had been damaged by torpedo.

[7] On 26 October 1916 the German V25-class torpedo boat V-80 captured The Queen about 3 nautical miles (6 km) from the Varne Lightvessel.