Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom

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Not to be confused with First Lord of the Admiralty or First Sea Lord.
Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom
Flag of the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom.svg
Flag of the Lord High Admiral
Elizabeth II greets NASA GSFC employees, May 8, 2007 edit.jpg
Incumbent
Queen Elizabeth II[a]
since 9 April 2021
StyleHer Majesty
or Royal Highness[b]
TypeGreat Officer of State
AppointerThe Monarch
Term lengthAt Her Majesty's Pleasure
PrecursorLord High Admiral of England
Lord High Admiral of Scotland
Formation1800 (Great Britain)
1707 (England)
1385
First holderThe 3rd Earl of Arundel
as High Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine
SuccessionHereditary or
at Her Majesty's Pleasure
DeputyVice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
  1. ^ Status is debated, see current status.
  2. ^ The office is currently vested in the Crown, but it may be granted upon members of the Royal Family

The Lord High Admiral (of England beginning in the 14th century, later of Great Britain and then the United Kingdom)[1] is the ceremonial head of the Royal Navy. Most have been courtiers or members of the Royal Family, and not professional naval officers. The office of Lord High Admiral is one of the nine English Great Officers of State.

History[]

In 1385 Edward, Earl of Rutland, was appointed Admiral of England, uniting the offices of Admiral of the North and Admiral of the West, dating from 1294. From 1388 the offices of Admiral of the North and of the West were again distinct, though often held by the same man, until "Admirals of England" were appointed continuously from 1406.[2] The titles "High Admiral" and "Lord Admiral" were both used, eventually combining in "Lord High Admiral". The Lord High Admiral did not originally have command at sea, but had jurisdiction over maritime affairs and the authority to establish courts of Admiralty.[3]

During the reign of Henry VIII (1509–47) the English Navy had expanded to a point where it could not be managed by a single Lord High Admiral alone, therefore day-to-day management of the navy was handed over to a committee that later became known as the Navy Board. The navy board had Samuel Pepys as one of its members during the reign of Charles II (1660–85), and it ran side-by-side with the Board of Admiralty.[4]

From the early 17th century onwards, when an individual Lord High Admiral was appointed, there was also a Council of the Lord High Admiral which assisted him to perform some of the duties of the Admiralty. When this office was not occupied by an individual, it was "put into commission" and exercised by a Board of Admiralty headed by a First Lord of the Admiralty; this was the usual arrangement from 1709 until it was merged with the Admiralty in 1832.

However, the office of Lord High Admiral, which—except for brief periods during its long history—had remained extant, was not abolished as an official naval post until 1964.[4] In 1964, the office of First Lord of the Admiralty was also abolished and the functions of the Lords Commissioners of Admiralty were transferred to the new Admiralty Board becoming a sub-committee (Navy) of the tri-service Defence Council of the United Kingdom. The ancient title of Lord High Admiral was resumed, by the sovereign personally.

Elizabeth II held the title for the next 47 years, until in 2011 she conferred the office upon her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to celebrate his 90th birthday.[5] Philip had served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, but gave up a promising naval career to support Elizabeth as her consort.[6]

Current status[]

Upon Prince Philip's death in 2021, the holder of the office became obscure. It is unknown whether the office of Lord High Admiral reverted back to the Crown, or if it is currently vacant, in which case it remains as such until Her Majesty either assumes it (as she previously did in 1964[7]), or grants it upon someone else. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed they do not hold information on the issue, but suggest it has been resumed by the Queen in right of the Crown.[8]

High Admirals of England, Ireland and Aquitaine, 1385-1512[]

Name Term of office Ref
Richard FitzAlan
10th Earl of Arundel 		1385 1388 [2]
Edward
1st Earl of Rutland & Cork
Duke of Abermarle 		1390 1397 [9]
John Beaufort
1st Earl of Somerset 		1397 1398 [10]
Thomas Percy
1st Earl of Worcester 		1398 1400 [11]
Thomas Plantagenet
1st Duke of Clarence 		1404 1405 [12]
John Beaufort
1st Earl of Somerset 		1406 1407 [2]
Edmund Holland
4th Earl of Kent[2] 		1407 1408 [2]
Thomas Beaufort
1st Duke of Exeter 		1408 1426 [2]
John of Lancaster
1st Duke of Bedford 		1426 1435 [2]
John Holland
2nd Duke of Exeter 		1435 1447 [2]
William de la Pole
1st Duke of Suffolk 		1447 1450 [2]
Henry Holland
3rd Duke of Exeter 		1450 1460 [2]
Richard Neville
16th Earl of Warwick 		1461 1462 [2]
William Neville
1st Earl of Kent 		1462 1462 [2]
Richard Plantagenet
1st Duke of Gloucester 		1462 1470 [2]
Richard Neville
16th Earl of Warwick 		1470 1471 [2]
Richard Plantagenet
1st Duke of Gloucester 		1471 1483 [2]
John Howard
1st Duke of Norfolk 		1483 1485 [2]
John de Vere
13th Earl of Oxford 		1485 1512 [2]

Lord Admirals of England, 1512–1638[]

Name Term of office Ref
Sir Edward Howard 1512 1513 [2]
Thomas Howard
2nd Earl of Surrey 		1513 1525 [2]
Henry FitzRoy
1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset 		1525 1536 [2]
William FitzWilliam
1st Earl of Southampton 		1536 1540 [2]
John Russell
1st Lord Russell 		1540 1542 [2]
John Dudley
1st Viscount Lisle 		1542 1546 [2]
Thomas Seymour
1st Lord Seymour of Sudeley 		1546 1549 [2]
John Dudley
1st Earl of Warwick 		1549 1550 [2]
Edward Clinton
9th Lord Clinton 		1550 1554 [2]
William Howard
1st Lord Howard of Effingham 		1554 1558 [2]
Edward Clinton
1st Earl of Lincoln 		1558 1585 [2]
Charles Howard
1st Earl of Nottingham
Baron Howard of Effingham before 1596
Earl of Nottingham from 1596 		1585 1619 [2]
George Villiers
1st Duke of Buckingham 		1619 1628 [2]

Lord High Admirals of England, 1638–1707[]

Portrait Name Term of office Ref
Algernon Percy.jpeg Algernon Percy
10th Earl of Northumberland
KG
(1602–1668) 		1638 1642
Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington from NPG.jpg Francis Cottington
1st Lord Cottington
PC
(c. 1579–1652) 		1643 1646
James II by Peter Lely.jpg Prince James
The Duke of York
KG
(1633–1701) 		1660 1673 [13]
King Charles II by John Michael Wright or studio.jpg King Charles II
(1630–1685) 		1673 1673
Rupert of the Rhine.jpg Prince Rupert
The Duke of Cumberland
KG PC FRS
(1619–1682) 		1673 1679
In commission:[14]
William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker
Sir Thomas Lyttleton 		?1679 ?1684
King Charles II by John Michael Wright or studio.jpg King Charles II
(1630–1685) 		1684 1685
James II by Peter Lely.jpg King James II
(1633–1701) 		1685 1688
King William III of England, (1650-1702).jpg King William III
(1650–1702) 		1689 1689
Admiral Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington by John Closterman.jpg Arthur Herbert
1st Earl of Torrington
(c. 1648–1716) 		1689 1689
Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke by John Greenhill.jpg Thomas Herbert
8th Earl of Pembroke
KG PC
(c. 1656–1733) 		1701 1702
George, Prince of Denmark by Michael Dahl.jpg Prince George
The Duke of Cumberland
KG PC
(1653–1708) 		1702 28 June 1707

Lord High Admirals of Great Britain, 1707-1800[]

Before 1707 there was an office of Lord High Admiral of Scotland. Following the Act of Union 1707, all jurisdictions were placed under the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain.

Portrait Name
(birth–death) 		Term of office Ref
George, Prince of Denmark by Michael Dahl.jpg Prince George
The Duke of Cumberland
KG PC
(1653–1708) 		28 June 1707 28 October 1708
Annavon GroßbritannienDahl.jpg Queen Anne
(1665–1714) 		23 October
1708 		1708 [13]
Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke by John Greenhill.jpg Thomas Herbert
The Earl of Pembroke
KG PC
(c. 1656–1733) 		1708 8 November 1709
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1816-1837).svg Office in commission 8 November 1709 31 December
1800

Lord High Admirals of the United Kingdom, 1801-present[]

Portrait Name
(birth–death) 		Term of office Ref
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1816-1837).svg Office in commission 1 January
1801 		10 May
1827
WilliamIVbyLonsdale.jpg Prince William Henry
The Duke of Clarence
(1765–1837) 		10 May
1827 		19 September
1828 		[15]
Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg Office in commission 19 September
1828 		1 April
1964 		[16]
Elizabeth II greets NASA GSFC employees, May 8, 2007 edit.jpg Queen Elizabeth II
(born 1926) 		1 April
1964 		10 June
2011 		[7]
25.Jun.2015 Prince Philip in Frankfurt.jpg Prince Philip
The Duke of Edinburgh
(1921–2021) 		10 June
2011 		9 April
2021 		[17]
Elizabeth II greets NASA GSFC employees, May 8, 2007 edit.jpg Queen Elizabeth II[a]
(born 1926) 		9 April
2021 		— [8]
  1. ^ Status is debated, see current status.

Former command flags[]

Tudor period[]

  • First command Flag of the Lord Admiral of England (1554–1558) under Mary I and Philip II when on board a ship.

  • First command Flag of the Lord Admiral of England under Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth I (1545–1553, 1559–1603) when on board a ship.

  • First command Flag of the Lord Admiral of England (1603–1625) under James VI and I when on board a ship.

  • Second command Flag of the Lord Admiral of England (1545–1625) when on board a ship.

The earliest known instructions given to the Lord Admiral to fly command flags were given by King Henry VIII in 1545 the Lord Admiral was ordered to fly the flag of the arms of the King on the top of the main masthead with the flag of the cross of Saint George on the top of the front (fore) masthead.[18]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Lord High Admiral's Divisions takes place at BRNC | Royal Navy". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. Ministry of Defence, 2 May 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Houbraken, Jacobus; Thoyras, Paul de Rapin; Vertue, George (1747). The History of England, A List of Admirals of England, 1228-1745. J. and P. Knapton. p. 271.
  3. ^ Kemp, Dear; Kemp, Peter, eds. (2007). "Lord High Admiral". The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191727504.
  4. ^ a b Dear, edited by I.C.B.; Kemp, Peter (2007). "Lord High Admiral". The Oxford companion to ships and the sea (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199205684.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "The Duke of Edinburgh Appointed Lord High Admiral". royal.gov.uk. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Prince Philip receives Navy title for 90th birthday". BBC News. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  7. ^ a b "No. 43288". The London Gazette. 3 April 1964. p. 2895. The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to assume the title of Lord High Admiral [...]
  8. ^ a b "Lord High Admiral (Freedom of Information)" (PDF). WhatDoTheyKnow. 2021-06-15. Retrieved 2021-08-05. A search for the requested information has now been completed within the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and I can confirm that no information in scope of your request is held. [...] you may find it helpful to note that Her Majesty The Queen bestowed the appointment of Lord High Admiral on His Royal Highness (HRH) The Duke of Edinburgh, via Letters Patent, on his 90th Birthday (10 Jun 2011). As the title of Lord High Admiral is not hereditary and was resumed by the sovereign personally in 1964, upon the Death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh it will have been subsumed back into the Crown. As this title is personally held by Her Majesty, it is within her gift to decide if it remains with the Crown or if it will be awarded to another individual.
  9. ^ Schomberg, Isaac (1802). Naval Chronology: Or, An Historical Summary of Naval & Maritime Events, from the Time of the Romans, to the Treaty of Peace, 1802. T. Egerton. p. 188. Sir Nicholas Tamworth, Admiral of the North.
  10. ^ Schomberg, Isaac (1802). Naval Chronology: Or, An Historical Summary of Naval & Maritime Events, from the Time of the Romans, to the Treaty of Peace, 1802. T. Egerton. p. 188. Sir Nicholas Tamworth, Admiral of the North.
  11. ^ Schomberg, Isaac (1802). Naval Chronology: Or, An Historical Summary of Naval & Maritime Events, from the Time of the Romans, to the Treaty of Peace, 1802. T. Egerton. p. 188. Sir Nicholas Tamworth, Admiral of the North.
  12. ^ Schomberg, Isaac (1802). Naval Chronology: Or, An Historical Summary of Naval & Maritime Events, from the Time of the Romans, to the Treaty of Peace, 1802. T. Egerton. p. 188. Sir Nicholas Tamworth, Admiral of the North.
  13. ^ a b National Archives, Kew, ref. ADM 4/410 List of the Lords High Admiral and Commissioners for executing that Office, which have been appointed since the year 1660 (1915)
  14. ^ "No. 1485". The London Gazette. 9 February 1679. p. 2.
  15. ^ "No. 18360". The London Gazette. 11 May 1827. p. 1033.
  16. ^ "No. 18506". The London Gazette. 19 September 1828. p. 1733.
  17. ^ "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11437314"
  18. ^ Perrin, W. G. (William Gordon) (1922). "Flags of Command". British flags, their early history, and their development at sea; with an account of the origin of the flag as a national device. Cambridge, England: Cambridge : The University Press. p. 77.

Sources[]

  • Houbraken, Jacobus. Thoyras, Paul de Rapin. Vertue, George. (1747). The History of England, A List of Admirals of England (1224-1745). England. Kanpton. P and J.
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