Portsmouth based ex-captain of HMS Prince of Wales Steve Higham reportedly sacked over acting 'inappropriately' with lone female sailors

Portsmouth-based Captain Steve Higham was being investigate amid complaints that junior servicewomen were left feeling uncomfortable over one-on-one sessions.

The allegations of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ related to his nine-month stint in command of HMS Prince of Wales, The Sun newspaper reported.

Capt Higham, who served as PM Boris Johnson’s military adviser, commanded the ship on its maiden voyage after leaving No 10 with a lockdown-busting farewell in December 2020.

He gave up command on May 24, as planned, and was in line for the fourth most senior job in the admiralty.

He was due to jump two ranks to Rear Admiral and become assistant chief of the naval staff, The Sun said.

But his promotion was put on hold amid the investigation and was on ‘directed leave’ since May.

A navy source has now told The Sun Capt Higham has been dismissed after there was ‘sufficient evidence to suggest his actions were inappropriate and his conduct was not compatible with continued navy service’.

The source added It was not illegal to have a relationship with someone in your workplace but was ‘inappropriate in the navy’.

He was spared a court martial as ‘he didn’t break the law’, but was handed an ‘administrative dismissal’ by chiefs on Monday, the paper added.

HMS Prince of Wales is the largest ship ever built for the Royal Navy, being fractionally longer and heavy than her old sister, HMS Queen Elizabeth.

The ship weighs in at just over 65,000 tonnes and is longer than the Spinnaker Tower is tall.