The Renown-class battlecruisers were a pair of ships that were originally designed to be built as part of the Revenge-class battleships. However, it was realized that they would be more quickly built as battlecruisers and were redesigned almost entirely, resulting in the largest and fastest capital ships in the world upon commissioning. The Renowns were armed with the same BL 15-in Mk. I guns that were now standard in contemporary Royal Navy battleships but with one less turret, for a total of six guns. Secondary armament consisted of BL 4-in Mk. IX guns in triple and single mounts, former which proved somewhat tricky to operate in combat. These would be replaced by dual purpose guns during World War II. Armor protection was similar to that of one of their predecessors, the Indefatigable-class, and prioritized side armor rather than the deck, although an extra layer of deck armor was added after Jutland. Anti-torpedo bulges were also fitted. Propulsion was based on that of the HMS Tiger but with extra boilers to give a greater speed which in trails exceeded 32 knots. The two ships were little used during World War I (both arrived too late for the Battle of Jutland) and were modernized in the interwar period; HMS Renown with a much more substantial refit than its sister. They were used extensively during World War II where their speed was a valuable asset but HMS Repulse was sunk by the Japanese shortly after Pearl Harbor.

The HMS Renown did not see combat in World War I and was modernized on the lines of the Queen Elizabeth-class ships in the 1930s. In World War II it was used initially in home waters, participating in the Norway campaign and the hunt for the Bismark. Later it was in action during the Operation Torch landings and eventually sent to the Far East. HMS Repulse participated in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight in 1917 and during World War II, was used primarily as a convoy escort. It was sunk along with the HMS Prince of Wales in December 1941 off Malaya by the Japanese.