Royal Navy Fleet Flagship
Flagships
The term 'Flagship' signifies a ship in which an Admiral flies his flag. As, in the Royal Navy, shore establishments can be commissioned as warships, the term can also indicate that of shore establishments run by senior Royal Naval commanders. For example, in 1960, the Commanders-in-Chief of the Home Fleet and its successors the Western Fleet, and Commander-in-Chief Fleet, flew their flags ashore in HMS Warrior in Northwood, before the downgraded three-star Fleet Commander moved to Portsmouth in 2005. Since then the Fleet Commander has flown his flag from these Headquarters at the shore establishment HMS Excellent. In addition, the First Sea Lord flies his flag in HMS Victory, and she is thus referred to as the 'First Sea Lord's Flagship'.
Fleet Flagship
In the Royal Navy, the Fleet Flagship is, technically, the ship that would host the 2* maritime battlestaff headquarters for operations, but more practically is considered to be the warship designated as the fleet's most prestigious vessel. In the modern era, it has usually been an aircraft carrier, but that changed in 2010 with the assignment of. The flag was transferred to in 2011 and in June 2015, before returning to in 2018. It will revert to an aircraft carrier when assumes the duty in late 2018/early 2019.Historic Flagships
| Ship | Dates |
| HMS Ark Royal / HMS Anne Royal | 1587–1636 |
| Naseby / HMS Royal Charles | 1655-1667 |
| 1914–1917 | |
| 1917–1919 |
Modern Fleet Flagships
| Ship | Dates |
| 1993–2005 | |
| 2005–2007 | |
| 2007–2009 | |
| 2009 – 13 December 2010 | |
| 13 December 2010 – 11 October 2011 | |
| 11 October 2011 – 1 June 2015 | |
| 1 June 2015 – 27 March 2018 | |
| 27 March 2018 - to date | |