List of senior officers of the Royal Navy - Definition and Overview

This is a list of senior officers of the Royal Navy.

Lord High Admirals, 1413-1628

• Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter 1413 - 1426
• John, Duke of Bedford 1426 - 1435
• John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter 1435 - 1447
• William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk 1447 - 1450
• Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter 1450 - 1461
• William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent 1462
• Richard, Duke of Gloucester 1462 - 1470
• Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick 1470 - 1471
• Richard, Duke of Gloucester 1471 - 1483
• John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk 1483 - 1485
• John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford 1485 - 1513
• Sir Edward Howard 1513 son of the 2nd Duke of Norfolk
• Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey 1513 - 1525
• Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond 1525 - 1536
• William Fitzwilliam, 1st Earl of Southampton 1536 - 1540
• John Russell, 1st Lord Russell 1540 - 1542
• Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford 1542 - 1543
• John Dudley, Viscount Lisle 1543 - 1547
• Thomas Seymour, 1st Lord Seymour of Sudeley 1547 - 1549
• John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick 1549 - 1550
• Edward Clinton, 9th Lord Clinton 1550 - 1554
• William Howard, 1st Lord Howard of Effingham 1554 - 1558
• Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln 1558 - 1585
• Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham (1597) 1585 - 1619
• George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham 1619 - 1628

Lords High Admiral and First Lords of the Admiralty, 1628-1709

• Richard Weston, 1st Earl of Portland (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1628 - 1635
• Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey(First Lord of the Admiralty) 1635 - 1636
• William Juxon, Bishop of Lincoln (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1636 - 1638
• Algernon Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland (Lord High Admiral to 1642, then First Lord of the Admiralty) 1638 - 1643
• Francis Cottington, 1st Lord Cottington 1643 - 1646
• none 1646-1660
• James Stuart, Duke of York and Albany (Lord High Admiral) 1660 - 1673
• King Charles II (Lord High Admiral) 1673
• Prince Rupert of the Palatinate, 1st Duke of Cumberland (Lord High Admiral) 1673 - 1679
• Sir Henry Capell (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1679 - 1681
• Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1681 - 1684
• King Charles II (Lord High Admiral) 1684 - 1685
• King James II (Lord High Admiral) 1685 - 1688
• King William III (Lord High Admiral) 1689
• Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington (Lord High Admiral to 1689, then First Lord of the Admiralty) 1689 - 1690
• Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1690 - 1692
• Charles Cornwallis, 3rd Lord Cornwallis of Eye (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1692 - 1693
• Anthony Carey, 5th Viscount of Falkland (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1693 - 1694
• Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1694 - 1699
• John Egerton, 3rd Earl of Bridgwater (First Lord of the Admiralty) 1699 - 1701
• Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke(Lord High Admiral) 1701 - 1702
• Prince George of Denmark (Lord High Admiral) 1702 - 1708
• Queen Anne (Lord High Admiral) 1708
• Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke (Lord High Admiral) 1708 - 1709

First Lords of the Admiralty, 1709-1964

• Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford 1709 - 1710
• Sir John Leake 1710 - 1712
• Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford 1712 - 1714
• Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford 1714 - 1717
• James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley 1717 - 1727
• George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington 1727 - 1733
• Sir Charles Wager 1733 - 1742
• Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea 1742 - 1744
• John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford 1744 - 1748
• John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich 1748 - 1751
• George Anson, 1st Baron Anson 1751 - 1756
• Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple 1756 - 1757
• Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea 1757
• George Anson, 1st Baron Anson 1757 - 1762
• George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax 1762
• George Grenville 1762-1763
• John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich 1763
• John Perceval, 2nd Earl of Egmont 1763 - 1766
• Sir Charles Saunders 1766
• Sir Edward Hawke 1766 - 1771
• John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich 1771 - 1782
• Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel 1782 - 1783
• Richard Howe, 4th Viscount Howe 1783
• Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel 1783
• Richard Howe, 4th Viscount Howe 1783 - 1788
• John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham 1788 - 1794
• George John Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer 1794 - 1801
• John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent 1801 - 1804
• Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville 1804 - 1805
• Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham 1805 - 1806
• Charles Grey, Viscount Howick 1806
• Thomas Grenville 1806 - 1807
• Henry Phipps, 3rd Baron Mulgrave 1807 - 1810
• Charles Philip Yorke 1810 - 1812
• Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville 1812 - 1827
• HRH The Duke of Clarence (Lord High Admiral) 1827 - 1828
• Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville 1828 - 1830
• Sir James Graham 1830 - 1834
• George Eden, 2nd Baron Auckland 1834
• Thomas Robinson, 2nd Earl de Grey 1834 - 1835
• George Eden, 2nd Baron Auckland 1835
• Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto 1835 - 1841
• Thomas Hamilton, 9th Earl of Haddington 1841 - 1846
• Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough 1846
• George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland 1846 - 1849
• Sir Francis Thornhill Baring 1849 - 1852
• Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland 1852
• Sir James Graham 1852 - 1855
• Sir Charles Wood 1855 - 1858
• Sir John Pakington 1858 - 1859
• Edward Adolphus Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset 1859 - 1866
• Sir John Pakington 1866 - 1867
• Henry Thomas Lowry Corry 1867 - 1868
• Hugh Childers 1868 - 1871
• George Joachim Goschen 1871 - 1874
• George Ward Hunt 1874 - 1877
• William Henry Smith 1877 - 1880
• Thomas George Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook 1880 - 1885
• Lord George Hamilton 1885 - 1886
• George Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon 1886
• Lord George Hamilton 1886 - 1892
• John Poyntz Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer 1892 - 1895
• George Joachim Goschen 1895 - 1900
• William Waldegrave Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne 1900 - 1905
• Frederick Archibald Vaughan Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor 1905
• Edward Marjoribanks, 2nd Baron Tweedmouth 1905 - 1908
• Reginald McKenna 1908 - 1911
• Winston Churchill 1911 - 1915
• Arthur Balfour 1915 - 1916
• Sir Edward Carson 1916 - 1917
• Sir Eric Geddes 1917 - 1919
• Walter Hume Long 1919 - 1921
• Arthur Hamilton Lee, 1st Baron Lee of Fareham 1921 - 1922
• Leo Amery 1922 - 1924
• Frederic John Napier Thesiger, 1st Viscount Chelmsford 1924
• William Clive Bridgeman 1924 - 1929
• A. V. Alexander 1929 - 1931
• Sir Austen Chamberlain 1931
• Bolton Eyres-Monsell, 1st Viscount Monsell 1931 - 1936
• Sir Samuel Hoare 1936 - 1937
• Alfred Duff Cooper 1937 - 1938
• James Stanhope, 7th Earl Stanhope 1938 - 1939
• Winston Churchill 1939 - 1940
• A. V. Alexander 1940 - 1945
• Brendan Bracken 1945
• A. V. Alexander 1945 - 1946
• George Hall, 1st Viscount Hall 1946 - 1951
• Francis Aungier Pakenham, 1st Baron Pakenham 1951
• James Thomas, 1st Viscount Cilcennan (1955) 1951 - 1956
• Quintin McGarel Hogg, 2nd Viscount Hailsham 1956 - 1957
• George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk 1957 - 1959
• Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, 1959-1963
• George Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe 1963-1964

Admirals of the Fleet, 1795-1827

• Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe 1795-1799
• Sir Peter Parker 1799-1811
• Prince William, Duke of Clarence 1811-1827

First Sea Lords and Chiefs of the Naval Staff, 1828-Present

• Sir George Cockburn 1828-1830
• Sir Thomas Hardy 1830-1834
• The Hon. George Heneage Dundas 1834
• Sir Charles Adam 1834
• Sir George Cockburn 1834-1835
• Sir Charles Adam 1835-1841
• Sir George Cockburn 1841-1846
• Sir William Parker 1846
• Sir Charles Adam 1846-1847
• Sir James Dundas 1847-1852
• The Hon. Maurice Fitzhardinge Berkeley 1852
• Hyde Parker 1852-1854
• The Hon. Maurice Fitzhardinge Berkeley 1854-1857
• Sir Richard Dundas 1857-1858
• William Martin 1858-1859
• Sir Richard Dundas 1859-1861
• Sir Frederick Grey 1861-1866
• Sir Alexander Milne 1866-1868
• Sir Sydney Dacres 1868-1872
• Sir Alexander Milne 1872-1876
• Sir Hastings Yelverston 1876-1877
• Sir George Wellesley 1877-1879
• Sir Astley Cooper Key 1879-1885
• Sir Arthur Hood 1885-1886
• Lord John Hay 1886
• Sir Arthur Hood 1886-1889
• Sir Vesey Hamilton 1889-1891
• Sir Anthony Hoskins 1891-1893
• Sir Frederick Richards 1893-1899
• Lord Walter Kerr 1899-1904
• Sir John Fisher 1904-1910
• Sir Arthur Wilson 1910-1911
• Sir Francis Bridgeman 1911-1912
• Prince Louis of Battenberg 1912-1914
• John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher 1914-1915
• Sir Henry Jackson 1915-1916
• Sir John Jellicoe 1916-1917
• Sir Rosslyn Wemyss 1917-1919
• David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty 1919-1927
• Sir Charles Madden 1927-1930
• Sir Frederick Field 1930-1933
• Ernle Chatfield, 1st Baron Chatfield 1933-1938
• Sir Roger Backhouse 1938-1939
• Sir Dudley Pound 1939-1943
• Andrew Cunningham, 1st Baron Cunningham of Hyndhope 1943-1946
• Sir John Cunningham 1946-1948
• Sir Bruce Fraser 1948-1951
• Sir Rhoderick McGrigor 1951-1955
• Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma 1955-1959
• Sir Charles Lambe 1959-1960
• Sir Caspar John 1960-1963
• Sir David Luce 1963-1966
• Sir Varyl Begg 1966-1968
• Sir Michael Lefanu 1968-1970
• Sir Peter Hill-Norton 1970-1971
• Sir Michael Pollock 1971-1974
• Sir Edward Ashmore 1974-1977
• Sir Terence Lewin 1977-1979
• Sir Henry Leach 1979-1982
• Sir John Fieldhouse 1982-1985
• Sir William Staveley 1985-1989
• Sir Julian Oswald 1989-1993
• Sir Benjamin Bathurst 1993-1995
• Admiral Sir Jock Slater 1995-1998
• Admiral Sir Michael Boyce 1998-2001
• Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh 2001-2002
• Admiral Sir Alan West 2002-present

Deputy First Sea Lords

• Admiral Sir Charles Kennedy-Purvis 29 July 1942 -

Deputy/Vice Chiefs of the Naval Staff

• Rear-Admiral Sir Tom Phillips 1 June 1939 - 21 October 1941
• Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Moore 21 October 1941 - 7 June 1943
• Rear-Admiral Sir E Neville Syfret 7 June 1943 -

Second Sea Lords

• Admiral Sir Charles Little 30 September 1938 - 1 June 1941
• Vice-Admiral Sir William Whitworth 1 June 1941 - 8 March 1944
• Vice-Admiral Sir Algernon Willis 8 March 1944 -
• Vice-Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent January 2003 - Present

Third Sea Lords

• Rear-Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser 1 March 1939 - 22 May 1942
• Vice-Admiral Sir W Frederick Wake-Walker 22 May 1942 -

Fourth Sea Lords

• Rear-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Arbuthnot 1 October 1937 - 1 April 1941
• Vice-Admiral Sir John Cunningham 1 April 1941 - 8 May 1943
• Rear-Admiral Frank Pegram 8 May 1943 - 20 March 1944
• Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur Palliser 20 March 1944

Fifth Sea Lords

• Vice-Admiral the Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay 19 July 1938 - 14 April 1941
• Rear-Admiral Sir A Lumley St G Lyster 14 April 1941 -
• Rear-Admiral Sir Denis Boyd - 1 May 1945
• Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Troubridge 1 May 1945 -