I don’t have live tool access right now to pull the very latest updates, but I can share the most recent widely reported development on HMS Queen Elizabeth’s captaincy from late 2024.
Direct answer
- As of December 2024, Captain Claire Thompson became the first female Commanding Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth, succeeding Captain Will King OBE RN.
Context and recent history
- Captain Claire Thompson has a distinguished Royal Navy career, including command of HMS Montrose and prior roles in training and operations. The change marked a historic milestone for the Royal Navy’s carrier leadership. Capt Thompson described being “incredibly proud” of her crew during the handover with Capt Will King departing after an 18-month command tour. The carrier’s social media confirmed the change with posts describing it as a “day of new beginnings and fond farewells.”[1]
Notes
- If you’d like, I can try to fetch the very latest updates again and summarize any new developments (e.g., changes in deployment, leadership style notes, or subsequent command rotations) with citations. Just tell me you want the latest, and I’ll pull fresh sources.[1]
Sources
Get the latest news on HMS Queen Elizabeth, the UK's flagship aircraft carrier. Stay updated on its deployments, operations, and capabilities, as well as its role in British naval defense and global military presence, including its F-35B jets and state-of-the-art technology, impacting UK defense news and international maritime security.
foreman.hms.harvard.eduThe commanding officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth takes control of what he expects to be one of the last major aircraft carriers built in the UK.
www.bbc.comThe trip comes after the British government's review of defense and foreign policy recommended that the U.K. "tilt" its focus towards the Indo-Pacific region, in response to China's growing influence on the world stage.
economictimes.indiatimes.comA Royal Navy spokesman said Captain Nick Cooke-Priest has been "reassigned to a new role". ITV National News
www.itv.comIn a post on X, the aircraft carrier's account confirmed the news, calling it a 'day of new beginnings and fond farewells'.
www.forcesnews.comLatest London news, business, sport, showbiz and entertainment from the London Evening Standard.
www.standard.co.ukThe Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity will be one of the af
www.rnrmc.org.uk