In 1385
Richard Fitzalan, 4th Earl of Arundel, was appointed Admiral of England, reuniting the offices of
Admiral of the North and
Admiral of the West, separate 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. 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. 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.
Current status Upon Prince Philip's death in 2021, the identity of the holder of the office became obscure, i.e., there has been no official announcement about the office's holder since then. It is unknown whether the office of Lord High Admiral reverted to the Crown, or if it is currently vacant, in which case it remains as such until His Majesty either assumes it, or bestows it upon someone else. The
Ministry of Defence confirmed they did not hold information on the issue, but suggested it had been resumed by Queen Elizabeth II in right of the Crown. Upon Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022, the office was reported to have been passed to King
Charles III. The office is understood to be held by the monarch (currently King Charles III) by default and can be granted to whoever is chosen by the monarch. == List of high admirals ==