The Royals were founded as a member of the USL Second Division and played eight professional seasons, working closely with nearby DC United in player development. Focused on player development, the club has worked closely with the independent Northern Virginia Majestics W-League team in developing the sport in the community and moved the Royals to the PDL in 2006. The Royals were also one of the original 16 members of the Super Y-League in 1999, making them one of the earliest USL clubs to make a commitment to player development at the youth level.