Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)

{{hatnote|"Admiral of the fleet (United Kingdom)" redirects here. For lower-ranked admirals of individual fleets, see Admiral (United Kingdom). For the political offices, see Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom and First Lord of the Admiralty.}}

{{Infobox military rank

| name = Admiral of the Fleet

| image = Flag of the United Kingdom.svg{{!}}border

| image_size = 100

| alt =

| caption = The flag of an admiral of the Fleet is the Union Flag

| image2 = British Royal Navy OF-10-collected.svg

| image_size2 = 150

| alt2 =

| caption2 = Insignia shoulder board and sleeve lace for admiral of the fleet

| image3 =

| image_size3 =

| alt3 =

| caption3 =

| country = {{flag|United Kingdom}}

| service branch = {{navy|UK}}

| abbreviation = ADMF

| rank group = Flag officer

| rank = Five-star

| NATO rank = OF-10

| Non-NATO rank =

| pay grade =

| formation = 1688

| abolished =

| higher rank =none

| lower rank = Admiral

| equivalents = {{unbulleted list|Field marshal (British Army)|{{nowrap|Marshal of the Royal Air Force (RAF)}}}}

| history =

}}

Admiral of the Fleet (ADMF) is a five-star naval officer rank and the highest rank of the Royal Navy, formally established in 1688.{{cite web |title=Information sheet no 055: Squadron Colours |url=https://www.nmrn-portsmouth.org.uk/sites/default/files/Squadron%20colours.pdf |website=nmrn-portsmouth.org.uk |publisher=The National Museum Royal Navy |access-date=13 February 2019 |date=2014 |archive-date=8 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108050804/https://www.nmrn-portsmouth.org.uk/sites/default/files/Squadron%20colours.pdf |url-status=dead }} The five-star NATO rank code is OF-10, equivalent to a field marshal in the British Army or a marshal of the Royal Air Force. Apart from honorary appointments, no new admirals of the fleet have been named since 1995, and no honorary appointments have been made since 2014.

History

File:HM King George VI greeting the Flag Officers of the Home Fleet on board the flagship HMS DUKE OF YORK at Scapa Flow, 16 August 1943. A18577.jpg and Admiral Bruce Fraser aboard {{HMS|Duke of York|17|6}} at Scapa Flow, August 1943]]

The origins of the rank can be traced back to John de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Beauchamp de Warwick, who was appointed 'Admiral of the King's Southern, Northern and Western Fleets' on 18 July 1360.{{cite book|last=St. George Tucker|volume=1|title=Blackstone's commentaries: with notes of reference to the constitution and laws, of the federal government of the United States, and of the Commonwealth of Virginia; with an appendix to each volume, containing short tracts upon such subjects as appeared necessary to form a connected view of the laws of Virginia as a member of the federal union|date=1996|publisher=Lawbook Exchange|location=Union, NJ|isbn=9781886363168|page=xxxiii|edition=Originally published: Philadelphia : William Young Birch, and Abraham Small, 1803.}} The appointment gave the command of the English navy to one person for the first time; this evolved into the post of admiral of the fleet.{{cite web|title=Trafalgar Ancestors, Glossary|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help/trafalgarancestors/glossary.htm|website=nationalarchives.gov.uk|publisher=National Archives, 2017|access-date=24 July 2017}} In the days of sailing ships the admiral distinctions then used by the Royal Navy included distinctions related to the fleet being divided into three divisions – red, white, or blue. Each division was assigned at least one admiral, who in turn commanded a number of vice-admirals and rear admirals. While the full admirals were nominally equals, tradition gave precedence to the admiral of the white who held the fleet rank in addition to his substantive role.

=Eighteenth and nineteenth centuries=

The Restoration era brought a general reorganisation of naval ranks and structure, including formalisation of the admiral of the fleet role. In a break with tradition the rank was awarded to the most senior admiral of the red, who retained this substantive rank while also serving as admiral of the Fleet. Appointments were for life, remunerated via a £5 daily stipend and an annual allowance of £1,014 for the hiring and maintenance of servants. It was intended that only one officer would hold the rank at any time, with their presence aboard any naval vessel to be denoted by the flying of the Royal Standard from the main mast.{{cite book|editor-last=Kemp|editor-first=Peter|title=The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea|location=Oxford|page=6|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1993|isbn=0192820842}}

The ranks of admiral of the Fleet and admiral of the red were formally separated from 1805, with an announcement in the London Gazette that "His Majesty [has] been pleased to order the Rank of Admirals of the Red to be restored" in His Majesty's Navy..." as a separate role. The same Gazette promoted 22 men to that rank.{{London Gazette|issue=15859|page=1373|date=5 November 1805}} From the nineteenth century onward there were also occasional variations to the previous requirement that only one admiral of Fleet could serve at one time. In 1821 George IV appointed Sir John Jervis as a second admiral of the fleet, to balance the Duke of Wellington{{'}}s promotion as a second Field Marshal in the British Army. In 1830 King William IV increased the number of admirals of the fleet to three, though these additional lifetime postings subsequently lapsed. Between 1854 and 1857 there was no admiral of the fleet at all as the most senior naval officer of the time {{ndash}} Admiral of the Red Thomas Le Marchant Gosselin {{ndash}} was mentally ill and had not served at sea for forty-five years.{{cite wikisource |first=William Richard |last=O'Byrne |chapter=Gosselin, Thomas Le Marchant |title=A Naval Biographical Dictionary |year=1849 |publisher=John Murray}}{{cite DNB|wstitle=Gosselin, Thomas le Marchant|volume=22}} In deference to Gosselin's seniority the position was instead left vacant until his death in 1857, whereupon it was filled by Admiral Charles Ogle.

=Twentieth century=

The organisation of the British fleet into coloured squadrons was abandoned in 1864, though the rank of admiral of the fleet was maintained. The title of First Naval Lord was renamed First Sea Lord in 1904.{{cite book|last=Heathcote |first=Tony |title=The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734–1995 |publisher=Pen & Sword Ltd |year=2002 |isbn=0-85052-835-6|page=81 }}

During the two World Wars a number of serving officers held active commissions as admirals of the fleet, as well as the First Sea Lord{{mdash}}e.g. Sir John Tovey.{{London Gazette|issue=36255|page=5088|date=19 November 1943}}

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was created an admiral of the Fleet in the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1954, following the coronation of his wife Elizabeth II as Queen. This promotion was to a New Zealand rank, separate from the Royal Navy rank.{{cite book|title=The Duke: A Portrait of Prince Philip|year=1991|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|isbn=0-340-54607-7|pages=264–267|author=Heald, Tim|author-link=Tim Heald}}

Following the creation of the Chief of the Defence Staff in 1959, the five naval officers appointed to that position became admirals of the fleet. Recognizing the reduced post–Cold War size of the British Armed Forces, no further appointments were made to the rank after 1995 when Sir Benjamin Bathurst was appointed admiral of the fleet on his retirement as First Sea Lord. The rank was not abolished and in 2012 the Prince of Wales (now King Charles III) became an honorary admiral of the fleet (as well as field marshal and marshal of the Royal Air Force), in recognition of his support to Queen Elizabeth II in her role of as Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces. In 2014, Lord Boyce, a former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Defence Staff, was also appointed an honorary admiral of the fleet.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/2014-birthday-honours-for-service-personnel-and-defence-civilians|title=2014 Birthday Honours for service personnel and defence civilians|publisher=Ministry of Defence|date=13 June 2014|access-date=28 June 2014}}

Admirals of the Fleet

Appointed	class=unsortable\| Image	Name	Born	Died	class=unsortable\| Notes	class=unsortable\|Reference
class="wikitable sortable"
{{dts\|24 September 1688}}	100px	{{sortname\|George\|Legge\|George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth}} (later The Lord Dartmouth)	1647	1691		{{cite web \|title=Naval Ranks NMRN Portsmouth \|url=https://www.nmrn-portsmouth.org.uk/naval-ranks \|website=www.nmrn-portsmouth.org.uk \|publisher=The National Museum Royal Navy, Portsmouth \|access-date=8 February 2019 \|date=2019 \|archive-date=26 September 2019 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926071235/http://www.nmrn-portsmouth.org.uk/naval-ranks \|url-status=dead }}
{{dts\|30 May 1690}}	100px	{{sortname\|Edward\|Russell\|Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford}} (later The Earl of Orford)	1652	1727		{{cite ODNB\|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/24304?docPos=2\|title=Russell, Edward, Earl of Orford\|year=2004 \|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/24304 \|access-date=16 May 2015}}
{{dts\|28 April 1696}}	100px	{{sortname\|Sir George\|Rooke\|George Rooke}}	1650	1709	circa	{{cite ODNB\|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/24059?docPos=1\|title=Rooke, Sir George\|year=2004 \|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/24059 \|access-date=16 May 2015\|last1=Hattendorf \|first1=John B. }}
{{dts\|13 January 1705}}	100px	{{sortname\|Sir Cloudesley\|Shovell\|Cloudesley Shovell}}	1650	1707		{{cite ODNB\|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25470?docPos=1\|title= Shovell, Sir Cloudesley\|year= 2004\|doi= 10.1093/ref:odnb/25470\|access-date=16 May 2015}}
{{dts\|8 January 1708}}	100px	Leake JohnSir John Leake	1656	1720		{{cite ODNB\|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/16238?docPos=6\|title= Leake, Sir John\|year= 2004\|doi= 10.1093/ref:odnb/16238\|access-date=16 May 2015}}
{{dts\|21 December 1708}}	100px	Fairborne StaffordSir Stafford Fairborne	1666	1742	circa	{{cite ODNB\|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/9069\|title=Fairborne, Stafford\|year=2004 \|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/9069 \|access-date=16 May 2015}}
{{dts\|12 November 1709}}	100px	Aylmer MatthewSir Matthew Aylmer (later The Lord Aylmer)	1650	1720		{{cite ODNB\|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/936\|title=Aylmer, Matthew\|year=2004 \|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/936 \|access-date=16 May 2015}}
{{dts\|14 March 1718}}	100px	Byng GeorgeSir George Byng (later The Viscount Torrington)	1663	1733		{{cite ODNB\|url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/4262?docPos=1\|title=Byng, George, first Viscount Torrington\|year=2004 \|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/4262 \|access-date=16 May 2015}}
{{dts\|20 February 1734}}	100px	Norris JohnSir John Norris	1670	1749		Heathcote, p. 197.
{{dts\|1 July 1749}}	100px	Ogle ChallonerSir Chaloner Ogle	1681	1750		{{London Gazette\|issue=8864\|page=6\|date=4 July 1749}}
{{dts\|22 November 1751}}	100px	Steuart JamesJames Steuart	1690	1757		Heathcote p. 236.
{{dts\|March 1757}}	100px	Clinton GeorgeGeorge Clinton	1686	1761		Heathcote, p. 45.
{{dts\|30 July 1761}}	100px	AnsonThe Lord Anson	1697	1762		{{London Gazette \|issue=10126\|date=28 July 1761\|page=2\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|17 December 1762}}	100px	Rowley WilliamSir William Rowley	1690	1768	circa	{{London Gazette\|issue=10275\|page=1\|date=1 January 1763\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|15 January 1768}}	100px	Hawke EdwardSir Edward Hawke (later The Lord Hawke)	1705	1781		Heathcote, p. 109.
{{dts\|24 October 1781}}	100px	Luke O'KeefeJohn Forbes	1714	1796		Heathcote, p. 87.
{{dts\|12 March 1796}}	100px	HoweThe Earl Howe	1726	1799		{{London Gazette\|issue=13875\|page=258\|date=15 March 1796\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|16 September 1799}}	100px	Parker PeterSir Peter Parker, Bt.	1721	1811		Heathcote, p. 271.
{{dts\|24 December 1811}}	100px	Clarence and Saint AndrewsKing William IV	1765	1837	Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom 1827–1828 appointed at that time as The Duke of Clarence and St Andrews	{{London Gazette\|issue=16554 \|date=21 December 1811 \|page=2454\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|19 July 1821}}	100px	Saint VincentThe Earl of St Vincent	1735	1823	acting from May 1814	{{London Gazette\|issue=17727 \|date=20 July 1821 \|page=1511\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|28 June 1830}}	100px	Williams-Freeman WilliamWilliam Williams-Freeman	1742	1832		{{London Gazette\|issue=18701\|page=1369\|date=2 July 1830\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|22 July 1830}}	100px	GambierThe Lord Gambier	1756	1833		{{London Gazette\|issue=18709\|page=1539\|date=23 July 1830\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|22 July 1830}}	100px	Pole CharlesSir Charles Pole, Bt.	1757	1830
{{dts\|24 April 1833}}	100px	Nugent CharlesSir Charles Nugent	1759	1844		{{London Gazette\|issue=19042\|page=793\|date=26 April 1833\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|8 January 1844}}	100px	Hawkins-Whitshed JamesSir James Hawkins-Whitshed	1762	1849		{{London Gazette \|issue=20305 \|date=16 January 1844\|page=146\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|9 November 1846}}	100px	Martin GeorgeSir George Martin	1764	1847		{{London Gazette\|issue=20660\|date=10 November 1846 \|supp=y\|page=3994\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|13 October 1849}}	100px	Martin ThomasSir Thomas Byam Martin	1773	1854		{{London Gazette\|issue=21037\|page=3387\|date=13 November 1849\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|1 July 1851}}	100px	Cockburn GeorgeSir George Cockburn (later the Cockburn Baronet)	1772	1853		{{London Gazette\|issue= 21225\|date= 8 July 1851\|page=1769\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|8 December 1857}}	100px	Ogle CharlesSir Charles Ogle, Bt.	1775	1858		{{London Gazette\|issue=22071\|page=4367\|date=11 December 1857\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|25 June 1858}}	100px	West JohnSir John West	1774	1862		{{London Gazette\|issue=22157\|page=3090\|date=29 June 1858\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|20 May 1862}}	100px	Gage WilliamSir William Gage	1777	1864		{{London Gazette\|issue=22627\|page=2616\|date=20 May 1862\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|10 November 1862}}	100px	Hamond GrahamSir Graham Hamond, Bt.	1779	1862		{{London Gazette \|issue=22679\|date=10 November 1862\|page=5343\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|27 April 1863}}	100px	Austen FrancisSir Francis Austen	1774	1865		{{London Gazette\|issue=22730\|date=28 April 1863\|page=2246\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|27 April 1863}}	100px	Parker WilliamSir William Parker, Bt.	1781	1866		{{London Gazette\|issue= 22730\|date=28 April 1863\|page=2246\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|11 January 1864}}	100px	Curtis LuciusSir Lucius Curtis	1786	1869		{{London Gazette\|issue=22806\|page=157\|date=12 January 1864\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|12 September 1865}}	100px	Cochrane ThomasSir Thomas Cochrane	1789	1872		{{London Gazette\|issue=23014\|page=4466\|date=15 September 1865\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|30 November 1866}}	100px	Seymour GeorgeSir George Seymour	1787	1870		{{London Gazette\|issue=23187\|page=6158\|date=20 November 1866\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|30 January 1868}}	100px	Gordon JamesSir James Gordon	1782	1869	On the Reserved List	{{London Gazette\|issue=23349\|page=537\|date=4 February 1868\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|15 January 1869}}	100px	Bowles WilliamSir William Bowles	1780	1869		{{London Gazette\|issue=23462\|page=407\|date=26 January 1869\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|2 July 1869}}	100px	Sartorious GeorgeSir George Sartorius	1790	1885		{{London Gazette \|issue=23516 \|date=13 July 1869 \|page=3958 \|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|21 January 1870}}	100px	Moresby FairfaxSir Fairfax Moresby	1786	1877		{{London Gazette\|issue=23582\|page=598\|date=1 February 1870\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|20 October 1872}}	100px	Stewart HoustonSir Houston Stewart	1791	1875		{{London Gazette\|issue=23915\|page=5106\|date=1 November 1872\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|11 December 1875}}	100px	Wallis ProvoSir Provo Wallis	1791	1892		{{London Gazette\|issue=24278\|page=6577\|date=24 December 1875\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|22 January 1877}}	100px	Codrington HenrySir Henry Codrington	1808	1877		{{London Gazette\|issue=24411\|page=436\|date=30 January 1877\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|5 August 1877}}	100px	Keppel HenrySir Henry Keppel	1809	1904		{{London Gazette\|issue=24497\|page=4957\|date=24 August 1877\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|27 December 1877}}	100px	LauderdaleThe Earl of Lauderdale	1803	1878		{{London Gazette\|issue=24537\|page=2\|date=1 January 1878\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|27 December 1877}}	100px	Mundy RodneySir Rodney Mundy	1805	1884
{{dts\|15 June 1879}}	100px	Hope JamesSir James Hope	1808	1881		{{London Gazette\|issue=24734\|page=3967\|date=17 June 1879\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|15 June 1879}}	100px	Symonds ThomasSir Thomas Symonds	1813	1894
{{dts\|10 June 1881}}	100px	Milne AlexanderSir Alexander Milne, Bt.	1806	1896	On the Retired List	{{London Gazette \|issue=24997 \|date=19 July 1881\|page=3548\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|1 December 1881}}	100px	Elliot CharlesSir Charles Elliot	1818	1895		{{London Gazette\|issue=25044\|page=6470\|date=2 December 1881\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|29 April 1885}}	100px	Ryder AlfredSir Alfred Ryder	1820	1888		{{London Gazette\|issue=25466\|page=1984\|date=1 May 1885\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|18 July 1887}}	100px	WalesKing Edward VII	1841	1910	Honorary appointment to non-Navy royalty and at that time The Prince of Wales	Heathcote, p. 68.
{{dts\|1 May 1888}}	100px	Hornby GeoffreySir Geoffrey Hornby	1825	1895		{{London Gazette\|issue=25816\|page=2766\|date=15 May 1888\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|8 December 1888}}	100px	Hay JohnLord John Hay	1827	1916	First Naval Lord 1886	{{London Gazette \|issue=25883 \|date=14 December 1888\|page=7140\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|2 August 1889}}	100px	William IIEmperor William II	1859	1941	Honorary, to foreign royalty	Heathcote, p. 261.
{{dts\|13 February 1892}}	100px	Commerell JohnSir John Commerell	1829	1901		{{London Gazette\|issue=26262\|page=1108\|date=26 February 1892\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|3 June 1893}}	100px	EdinburghThe Duke of Edinburgh (later The Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha)	1844	1900		Heathcote, p. 10.
{{dts\|20 February 1895}}	100px	ClanwilliamThe Earl of Clanwilliam	1832	1907		{{London Gazette\|issue=26601\|page=1066\|date=22 February 1895\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|23 August 1897}}	100px	Lyons AlgernonSir Algernon Lyons	1833	1908		{{London Gazette\|issue=26885\|page=4726\|date=24 August 1897\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|29 November 1898}}	100px	Richards FrederickSir Frederick Richards	1833	1912	First Naval Lord 1893–1899	{{London Gazette \|issue=27029 \|date=2 December 1898\|page=7818\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|13 January 1899}}	100px	Salmon NowellSir Nowell Salmon	1835	1912		{{London Gazette\|issue=27043\|page=298\|date=17 January 1899\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|3 October 1902}}	100px	Erskine JamesSir James Erskine	1838	1911		{{London Gazette \|issue=27483\|date=17 October 1902\|page=6569\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|30 August 1903}}	100px	Hotham CharlesSir Charles Hotham	1843	1925		{{London Gazette \|issue=27593\|date=1 September 1903\|page=5476\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|16 June 1904}}	100px	Kerr WalterLord Walter Kerr	1839	1927	First Sea Lord 1899–1904	{{London Gazette \|issue=27692 \|date=5 July 1904\|page=4259\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|20 February 1905}}	100px	Seymour EdwardSir Edward Seymour	1840	1929		{{London Gazette \|issue=27766\|date=21 February 1905\|page=1279\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|5 December 1905}}	100px	Fisher JohnSir John Fisher (later The Lord Fisher)	1841	1920	First Sea Lord 1905–1910 and 1914–1915	{{London Gazette\|issue=27861\|page=8812\|date=8 December 1905\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|1 March 1907}}	100px	Wilson ArthurSir Arthur Wilson	1842	1921	First Sea Lord 1910–1911	{{London Gazette \|issue=28001 \|date=5 March 1907 \|page=1574\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|11 June 1908}}	100px	Nicholas IITsar Nicholas II of Russia	1868	1918	Honorary, to foreign royalty	Heathcote, p. 192.
{{dts\|2 December 1908}}	100px	Noel GerardSir Gerard Noel	1845	1918		{{London Gazette \|issue=28201\|date=1 December 1908\|page=9182\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|27 January 1910}}	100px	Heinrich of PrussiaPrince Henry of Prussia	1862	1929	Honorary, to foreign royalty	Heathcote, p. 113.
{{dts\|30 April 1910}}	100px	Fanshawe ArthurSir Arthur Fanshawe	1847	1936		{{London Gazette\|issue=28362\|page=3063\|date=3 May 1910\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|7 May 1910}}	100px George V	King George V	1865	1936		{{London Gazette \|issue=28380 \|date=31 May 1910 \|page=3859 \|supp=y }}
{{dts\|20 March 1913}}	100px	May WilliamSir William May	1849	1930		{{London Gazette\|issue=28703\|page=2159\|date=21 March 1913\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|5 March 1915}}	100px	Meux HedworthSir Hedworth Meux	1856	1929		{{London Gazette \|issue=29094\|date=9 March 1915\|page=2365\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|2 April 1917}}	100px	Callaghan GeorgeSir George Callaghan	1852	1920		{{London Gazette\|issue=30008\|page=3206\|date=3 April 1917\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|3 April 1919}}	100px	JellicoeThe Viscount Jellicoe (later The Earl Jellicoe)	1859	1935	First Sea Lord 1916–1918	{{London Gazette \|issue=31327\|date=6 May 1919\|page=5653\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|3 April 1919}}	100px	Beatty DavidSir David Beatty (later The Earl Beatty)	1871	1936	First Sea Lord 1919–1927	{{London Gazette\|issue=31327\|page=5653\|date=6 May 1919\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|31 July 1919}}	100px	Jackson HenrySir Henry Jackson	1855	1929	First Sea Lord 1915–1916	{{London Gazette\|issue=31489\|page=9961\|date=5 August 1919\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|1 November 1919}}	100px	Wemyss RosslynSir Rosslyn Wemyss (later The Lord Wester Wemyss)	1864	1933	First Sea Lord 1918–1919	{{London Gazette\|issue=31715\|page=57\|date=2 January 1920 \|supp=y\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|24 November 1920}}	100px	Burney CecilSir Cecil Burney (later the Burney baronet)	1858	1929		{{London Gazette\|issue=32150 \|supp=y\|page=11942\|date=3 December 1920\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|5 July 1921}}	100px	Sturdee DovetonSir Doveton Sturdee, Bt.	1859	1925		{{London Gazette \|issue=32394\|date=19 July 1921\|page=5733\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|19 August 1921}}	100px	Milford HavenThe Marquess of Milford Haven	1854	1921	First Sea Lord 1912–1914. On the Retired List	Order in Council of 19 August 1921; ADM 196/38.
{{dts\|31 July 1924}}	100px	Madden CharlesSir Charles Madden, Bt.	1862	1935	First Sea Lord 1927–1930	{{London Gazette\|issue=32962\|page=5889\|date=5 August 1924\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|8 May 1925}}	100px	Calthorpe SomersetSir Somerset Gough-Calthorpe	1864	1937		{{London Gazette\|issue=33049\|date=22 May 1925\|page=3445\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|24 November 1925}}	100px	de Robeck JohnSir John de Robeck, Bt.	1862	1928		{{London Gazette \|issue=33110 \|date=1 December 1925\|page=7950\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|21 January 1928}}	100px	Oliver HenrySir Henry Oliver	1865	1965		{{London Gazette\|issue=33354\|page=856\|date=7 February 1928\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|31 July 1929}}	100px	Brock OsmondSir Osmond Brock	1869	1947		{{London Gazette\|issue=33523\|page=5145\|date=6 August 1929\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|8 May 1930}}	100px	Keyes RogerSir Roger Keyes, Bt. (later The Lord Keyes)	1872	1945		{{London Gazette \|issue=33604\|date=9 May 1930\|page=2867\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|21 January 1933}}	100px	Field FrederickSir Frederick Field	1871	1945	First Sea Lord 1930–1933	{{London Gazette\|issue=33905\|page=524\|date=24 January 1933\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|31 July 1934}}	100px	Tyrwhitt ReginaldSir Reginald Tyrwhitt, Bt.	1870	1951		{{London Gazette\|issue=34076\|page=5054\|date=7 August 1934\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|8 May 1935}}	100px	Chatfield ErnleSir Ernle Chatfield (later The Lord Chatfield)	1873	1967	First Sea Lord 1933–1938	{{London Gazette\|issue=34159\|page=3048\|date=10 May 1935\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|21 January 1936}}	100px	Edward VIIIKing Edward VIII	1894	1972		Heathcote, p. 69.
{{dts\|12 July 1936}}		Kelly JohnSir John Kelly	1871	1936		{{London Gazette\|issue=34308 \|supp=y\|page=4742\|date=24 July 1936\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|11 December 1936}}	100px	George VIKing George VI	1895	1952		Heathcote, p. 99.
{{dts\|21 January 1938}}	100px	CorkThe Earl of Cork and Orrery	1873	1967		{{London Gazette\|issue=34476\|page=512\|date=25 January 1938\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|29 June 1939}}	100px	Backhouse RogerSir Roger Backhouse	1878	1939	First Sea Lord 1938–1939. On the Retired List	Order in Council of 3 July 1939
{{dts\|31 July 1939}}	100px	Pound DudleySir Dudley Pound	1877	1943	First Sea Lord 1939–1943	{{London Gazette\|issue=34651\|page=5393\|date=4 August 1939\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|8 May 1940}}	100px	Forbes CharlesSir Charles Forbes	1880	1960		{{London Gazette\|issue=34849\|page=2892\|date=14 May 1940\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|21 January 1943}}	100px	Cunningham AndrewSir Andrew Cunningham (later The Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope)	1883	1963	First Sea Lord 1943–1946	Heathcote, p. 60.
{{dts\|22 October 1943}}	100px	Tovey JohnSir John Tovey (later The Lord Tovey)	1885	1971		{{London Gazette\|issue=36255\|page=5088\|date=19 November 1943\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|8 May 1945}}	100px	Somerville JohnSir James Somerville	1882	1949		Heathcote, p. 233.
{{dts\|21 January 1948}}	100px	Cunningham JohnSir John Cunningham	1885	1965	First Sea Lord 1946–1948	{{London Gazette \|issue=38210\|date=17 February 1948\|page=1128\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|22 October 1948}}	100px	Fraser of North CapeThe Lord Fraser of North Cape	1888	1981	First Sea Lord 1948–1951	Heathcote, p. 90.
{{dts\|20 March 1949}}	100px	Willis AlgernonSir Algernon Willis	1889	1976		{{London Gazette\|issue=38595\|page=2052\|date=26 April 1949\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|22 April 1952}}	100px	Power ArthurSir Arthur Power	1889	1960		{{London Gazette\|issue=39571\|page=3238\|date=13 June 1952\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|1 June 1952}}	100px	Vian PhilipSir Philip Vian	1894	1968		{{London Gazette\|issue=39606\|page=3999\|date=25 July 1952\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|15 January 1953}}	100px	EdinburghThe Duke of Edinburgh	1921	2021	Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom 2011–2021	Heathcote, p. 210.{{London Gazette\|issue=39754\|page=358\|date=16 January 1953\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|1 May 1953}}	100px	McGrigor RhoderickSir Rhoderick McGrigor	1893	1959	First Sea Lord 1951–1955	Heathcote, p. 162.
{{dts\|22 April 1955}}	100px	Creasy GeorgeSir George Creasy	1895	1972		{{London Gazette\|issue=40487\|page=3011\|date=24 May 1955\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|22 October 1956}}	100px	Mountbatten of BurmaThe Earl Mountbatten of Burma	1900	1979	First Sea Lord 1955–1959 Chief of the Defence Staff 1959–1965	{{London Gazette\|issue=40927\|date=16 November 1956\|page=6492\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|10 May 1960}}		Lambe CharlesSir Charles Lambe	1900	1960	First Sea Lord 1959–1960	{{London Gazette\|issue=42058\|page=4037 \|supp=y\|date=7 June 1960\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|23 May 1962}}		John CasparSir Caspar John	1903	1984	First Sea Lord 1960–1963	{{London Gazette\|issue=42704\|page=4777\|date=15 June 1962\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|12 August 1968}}		Begg VarylSir Varyl Begg	1908	1995	First Sea Lord 1966–1968	Heathcote, p. 29.
{{dts\|30 June 1970}}		Le Fanu MichaelSir Michael Le Fanu	1913	1970	First Sea Lord 1968–1970	{{London Gazette\|issue=45138\|date=26 June 1970\|page=7183 \|supp=y\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|12 March 1971}}	100px	Hill-Norton PeterSir Peter Hill-Norton (later The Lord Hill-Norton)	1915	2004	First Sea Lord 1970–1971 Chief of the Defence Staff 1971–1973	{{London Gazette\|issue=45331 \|supp=y\|page=2937\|date=30 March 1971\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|1 March 1974}}	100px	Pollock MichaelSir Michael Pollock	1916	2006	First Sea Lord 1971–1974	{{London Gazette\|issue=46225 \|supp=y\|page=2887\|date=4 March 1974\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|9 February 1977}}		Ashmore EdwardSir Edward Ashmore	1919	2016	First Sea Lord 1974–1977 Chief of the Defence Staff 1977	{{London Gazette\|issue=47160 \|supp=y\|page=2825\|date=1 March 1977\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|6 July 1979}}		Lewin TerenceSir Terence Lewin (later The Lord Lewin)	1920	1999	First Sea Lord 1977–1979 Chief of the Defence Staff 1979–1982	{{London Gazette\|issue=47904 \|supp=y\|page=8998\|date=16 July 1979\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|1 December 1982}}		Leach HenrySir Henry Leach	1923	2011	First Sea Lord 1979–1982	{{London Gazette \|issue=49174 \|supp=y \|page=15293 \|date=22 November 1982 \|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|2 August 1985}}	100px	Fieldhouse JohnSir John Fieldhouse (later The Lord Fieldhouse)	1928	1992	First Sea Lord 1982–1985 Chief of the Defence Staff 1985–1988	Heathcote, p. 78.{{London Gazette \|issue=50238\|supp=y \|date=23 August 1985 \|page=11765 }}
{{dts\|12 April 1988}}	100px	King Olav V of Norway	1903	1991	Honorary, to foreign royalty	{{London Gazette\|issue=51297\|supp=3\|page=4327\|date=12 April 1988\|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|25 May 1989}}		Staveley WilliamSir William Staveley	1928	1997	First Sea Lord 1985–1989	Heathcote, p. 235.
{{dts\|2 March 1993}}		Oswald JulianSir Julian Oswald	1933	2011	First Sea Lord 1989–1993	{{cite journal\|title=Conventional Deterrence and Military Diplomacy\|year=1993\|publisher=RUSI\|doi=10.1080/03071849308445694\|last1=Oswald\|first1=Julian\|journal=The RUSI Journal\|volume=138\|issue=2\|pages=29–30}}
{{dts\|10 July 1995}}	100px	Bathhurst BenjaminSir Benjamin Bathurst	1936	Living	First Sea Lord 1993–1995	Heathcote, p. 23.
{{dts\|16 June 2012}}	100px	WalesKing Charles III	1948	Living	Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom since 2022 Honorary appointment and at that time The Prince of Wales Assumed the rank in full capacity on the day following accession to the throne.	{{London Gazette\|issue=60350\|page=23557\|date=7 December 2012 \|nolink=y}}
{{dts\|13 June 2014}}	100px	Boyce MichaelThe Lord Boyce	1943	2022	First Sea Lord 1998–2001 Chief of the Defence Staff 2001–2003. Honorary rank	{{cite web\|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/2014-birthday-honours-for-service-personnel-and-defence-civilians\|title=2014 Birthday Honours for service personnel and defence civilians\|date=13 June 2014\|publisher=Ministry of Defence\|access-date=22 June 2014}}