The Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) is a British yacht club. Its clubhouse is Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. Member yachts are given the suffix RYS to their names, and are permitted (with the appropriate warrant) to wear the White Ensign of the Royal Navy rather than the merchant Red Ensign worn by the majority of other UK registered vessels. The club's patron was Queen Elizabeth II.
The Royal Yacht Squadron entered the 2021 America's Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, with the Ineos Team UK syndicate led by Sir Ben Ainslie, but did not win. In March 2021, an entity associated with the RYS, called Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd, was officially accepted as the Challenger of Record for the 37th America's Cup competition.
History
<!-- Deleted image removed: 200px|thumb|left|The Royal Yacht Squadron (Cowes Castle) -->
thumb|The 1827 regatta in [[J.M.W. Turner's East Cowes Castle]]
Founded on 1 June 1815 in the Thatched House Tavern in St James's, London as The Yacht Club by 42 gentlemen interested in sea yachting, the original members decided to meet in London and in Cowes twice a year, to discuss yachting over dinner. Membership was restricted to those who owned a vessel not under 10 tons.