Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom

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 British royal family, and not professional naval officers. The Lord High Admiral is one of the nine English Great Officers of State.

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
TypeGreat Officer of State
AppointerThe monarch
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Precursor
Formation
  • 1800 (United Kingdom)
  • 1707 (Great Britain)
  • 1385 (England)
First holderThe 3rd Earl of Arundel
as High Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine
DeputyVice-Admiral of the United Kingdom

    History

    In 1385 Richard, Earl of Arundel, 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.[3]

    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.[3]

    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.[3] 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.[3]

    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.[4] Philip had served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, but he gave up a promising naval career to support Elizabeth as her consort.[5]

    Current status

    Upon Prince Philip's death in 2021, the identity of 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 His Majesty either assumes it, or grants it upon someone else. The Ministry of Defence had confirmed they did not hold information on the issue, but suggested it had been resumed by the then Queen in right of the Crown.[6] Upon Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022, the office was reported to have been passed to King Charles III.[7]

    List of high admirals

    England and Ireland, 1385–1512
    High Admiral Term of office
    Richard FitzAlan, 4th Earl of Arundel[2] 1385 1388
    Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York[8] 1390 1397
    John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset[9] 1397 1398
    Thomas Percy, 1st Earl of Worcester[10] 1398 1400
    Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence[11] 1404 1405
    John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset[2] 1406 1407
    Edmund Holland, 4th Earl of Kent[2] 1407 1408
    Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter[2] 1408 1426
    John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford[2] 1426 1435
    John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter[2] 1435 1447
    William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk[2] 1447 1450
    Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter[2] 1450 1460
    Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick[2] 1461 1462
    William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent[2] 1462 1462
    Richard, Duke of Gloucester[2] 1462 1470
    Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick[2] 1470 1471
    Richard, Duke of Gloucester[2] 1471 1483
    John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk[2] 1483 1485
    John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford[2] 1485 1512

    England, 1512–1638
    Lord Admiral Term of office
    Sir Edward Howard[2] 1512 1513
    Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey[2] 1513 1525
    Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset[2] 1525 1536
    William Fitzwilliam, 1st Earl of Southampton[2] 1536 1540
    John Russell, Lord Russell[2] 1540 1542
    John Dudley, Viscount Lisle[2] 1542 1546
    Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley[2] 1546 1549
    John Dudley Earl of Warwick[2] 1549 1550
    Edward Clinton, Lord Clinton[2] 1550 1554
    William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham[2] 1554 1558
    Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln[2] 1558 1585
    Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
    Baron Howard of Effingham before 1596
    Earl of Nottingham from 1596[2]    		 1585 1619
    George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham[2] 1619 1628

    List of lord high admirals

    England, 1638–1707
    Lord High Admiral Term of office
    Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland 1638 1642
    Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington 1643 1646
    James, Duke of York[12] June 1660 July 1673
    King Charles II[12] 1673 1673
    Prince Rupert, Duke of Cumberland[12] 1673 1679
    In commission:[13]
    William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker
    Sir Thomas Lyttleton[12]    		 1679 1684
    King Charles II[12] May 1684 6 February 1685
    King James II[12] 6 February 1685 11 December 1688
    King William III[12] 1689 1689
    Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington[12] 1689 1689
    Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke[12] 26 January 1702 20 May 1702
    Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland 20 May 1702 28 October 1708

    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.

    Lord High Admiral Term of office
    Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland 28 June 1707 28 October 1708
    Queen Anne[12] 23 October
    1708    		 1708
    Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke[12] 1708 8 November 1709
    Office in commission 8 November 1709 31 December
    1800

    United Kingdom, 1801–present
    Lord High Admiral FromTo
    Office in commission 1 January
    1801    		 10 May
    1827
    Prince William, Duke of Clarence[14] 10 May
    1827    		 19 September
    1828
    Office in commission[15] 19 September
    1828    		 1 April
    1964
    Queen Elizabeth II[16] 1 April
    1964    		 10 June
    2011
    Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh[17] 10 June
    2011    		 9 April
    2021
    See Current status[6] 9 April
    2021    		 —

      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 (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 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.
        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.
        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. 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. "The Duke of Edinburgh Appointed Lord High Admiral". royal.gov.uk. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
      5. "Prince Philip receives Navy title for 90th birthday". BBC News. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
      6. "Lord High Admiral (Freedom of Information)" (PDF). WhatDoTheyKnow. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021. 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.
      7. "Queen Elizabeth II: The naval college where the monarch met the duke". BBC. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022. The Queen held the title of Lord High Admiral, which has now been passed to the King.
      8. 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.
      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. 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)
      13. "No. 1485". The London Gazette. 9 February 1679. p. 2.
      14. "No. 18360". The London Gazette. 11 May 1827. p. 1033.
      15. "No. 18506". The London Gazette. 19 September 1828. p. 1733.
      16. "No. 43288". The London Gazette. 3 April 1964. p. 2895. The QUEEN this day was graciously pleased to assume the title of Lord High Admiral [...]
      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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