Princess Royal Launches New Battleship at Birkenhead -- A general view of the launch of the "Prince of Wales" as an enormous crowd watches. The Princess Royal launch ad the now 35,000-tone Battleship "Prince of Wales from Cammell Laird's 7ards at Birkenhead, Cheshire. The second of the new George V type the Battleship will have ten 14-inch gun quadruple turrets fore and aft, and 16 5?-inch guns. She will Be one of the fastest of her class in the world. May 3, 1939.