Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom

Rear-Admiral of the
United Kingdom
since 6 December 2021
AppointerMonarch
Formation1683
First holderArthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington

Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom is a now honorary office generally held by a senior (possibly retired) Royal Navy admiral, though the current incumbent is a retired Royal Marine General. Despite the title, the Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom is usually a full admiral. He is the deputy to the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom, who is in turn deputy to the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom (an office that was vested from 1964 to 2011 in the Sovereign and from 2011 to 2021 in The Duke of Edinburgh).

He is appointed by the Sovereign on the nomination of the First Sea Lord. The Admiral usually retires at 70 years of age, but there have been admirals, such as Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, who have been over 80 before they retired from their office.