It is the ninth time Hamilton has won the British GP. Lando Norris of McLaren finished third.
Norris' McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri took fourth and Carlos Sainz Jr of Ferrari finished fifth.
An emotional Hamilton spoke with race engineer Pete Bonnington on the team radio as he began a lap of honour.
"This means a lot to us all," said Bonnington. "I love you, Bono," replied Hamilton.
The British driver's last win was in Saudi Arabia in 2021. Today's triumph takes him to a staggering 104th career win.
Hamilton's Mercedes teammate, George Russell, took pole, but was forced to retire with a suspected water system issue.
"I've been waiting for this," Hamilton, who fell into the arms of his father in celebration afterward, said at the finish line.
"Since 2021, every day, fighting, training and putting my mind to the task, working as hard as I can.
"I'll be forever grateful to everyone at Mercedes and to the incredible fans," he added.
Top 10
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Lando Norris (McLaren)
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
Alex Albon (Williams)
Yuki Tsunoda (RB)
