 Although four of her sister ships were armed with two 6-inch and ten 5-inch breech-loading guns, "Royalist", in common with "Heroine" and "Hyacinth", received a homogenous outfit of eight BL 6-inch/100-pounder (81cwt) Mk II guns, complemented with a light gun and 4 machine guns.Initially on service with the Cape of Good Hope Station, she commenced service on the Australia Station in May 1888.Ships on the Australia Station were active in the Pacific in the management of the British Western Pacific Territories.