Royal Navy: New female HMS Queen Elizabeth Commanding Officer officially appointed in UK first

Captain Claire Thompson OBE will take charge of HMS Queen Elizabeth, replacing the outgoing Captain Will King OBE. The announcement was made earlier this week, but news about the appointment surfaced this summer in The Sun.

A statement posted on social media said: “A day of new beginnings and fond farewells. We welcome Capt Claire Thompson OBE RN as she assumes command of HMS Queen Elizabeth. That means we also say goodbye to Capt Will King OBE RN as he leaves after 18 months in command.”

A source told the national publication this Summer that Capt Thompson was “honoured” and “delighted” to accept the role. They added she is “absolutely the right person for the role” and an “excellent leader”. Capt Thompson, of Denmead near Waterlooville, joined the Royal Navy in 2005.

She served in wars in Iraq and Libya, being made an OBE in 2022. Capt Thompson was previously the Commanding Officer of HMS Montrose, a Portsmouth-based Type 23 Duke-class warship which was forward deployed in the Middle East. The frigate was decommissioned at HMNB Portsmouth in April 2023.

Capt Thompson took charge of anti-drug smuggling operations in the region, with HMS Montrose being the first ship of its kinds to be forward deployed in such a manner. A total of ten narcotics busts were made, with millions of pounds of drugs bound for destinations across the world being confiscated.