First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff
Professional head of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is a statutory position in the British Armed Forces usually held by a four star admiral. As the highest-ranking officer to serve in the Royal Navy, the chief is the principal military advisor on matters pertaining to the navy and a deputy to the Secretary of State for Defence. In a separate capacity, the CNS is a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and, thereby, a military advisor to the National Security Council, the prime minister and the monarch. The First Sea Lord is typically the highest-ranking officer on active duty of the Royal Navy unless the Chief of the Defence Staff is a naval officer. Admiral Ben Key was appointed First Sea Lord in November 2021.[1]
| First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff | |
|---|---|
 Ensign of the British Armed Forces | |
 White Ensign of the Royal Navy | |
| Ministry of Defence Royal Navy | |
| Type | Naval officer |
| Status | Military branch chief |
| Abbreviation | 1SL/CNS |
| Member of | Defence Council Admiralty Board Chiefs of Staff Committee |
| Reports to | Chief of the Defence Staff |
| Nominator | Secretary of State for Defence |
| Appointer | The Monarch On the advice of the Prime Minister, subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council |
| Term length | Not fixed (typically 3–4 years) |
| Formation | Senior Naval Lord (1689–1771) First Naval Lord (1771–1904) First Sea Lord (from 1904) |
| First holder | Admiral Arthur Herbert (as Senior Naval Lord) Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Fisher (as First Sea Lord) |
| Deputy | Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (1941–1946) Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff |
| Website | Official Website |
Originally titled the "Senior Naval Lord to the Board of Admiralty" when the post was created in 1689,[2] the office was re-styled "First Naval Lord" in 1771.[3] The concept of a professional "First Naval Lord" was introduced in 1805,[4] and the title of the office was changed to "First Sea Lord" on the appointment of Sir John Fisher in 1904. Since 1923, the First Sea Lord has been a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee; he now sits on the Defence Council and the Admiralty Board.[5]