List of Lord High Admirals (United Kingdom)

Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom
Flag of the Lord High Admiral
Incumbent HRH The Duke of Edinburgh since 2011
Appointer	Monarch
Formation	22 February 1385
First holder	The Earl of Arundel
Deputy	Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom

The Lord High Admiral (of England, Great Britain and then the United Kingdom, beginning in the 14th century) is the titular 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.

From the 17th century onwards, when an individual Lord High Admiral was appointed, there was also a Council of the Lord High Admiral which assisted him and performed some of the duties of the Admiralty.

When the 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, and this was the usual arrangement from 1709 until 1964, when the office of First Lord of the Admiralty was finally abolished and the functions of the Lords Commissioners were transferred to the Admiralty Board of the tri-service Defence Council of the United Kingdom. At the same time, the ancient title of Lord High Admiral was then 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, the Duke of Edinburgh as part of the celebrations for his 90th birthday. The Queen chose this title to honour her husband with as he served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War, and gave up a promising naval career to support her as consort.

Before 1707 a separate office of Lord High Admiral existed for Scotland, following the Act of Union 1707 all jurisdictions were placed under the office of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain.