Below is a list of First and Principal Naval Aides-de-Camp, an office established by William IV of the United Kingdom in 1830.

History of the office

In 1827 King George IV had appointed Lieutenant-General Sir Herbert Taylor (a senior Army officer and courtier) to be his First and Principal Aide-de-Camp ('an office which it is said was established expressly for the purpose of retaining the valuable services of Sir Herbert, who at that period was contemplating a continental journey'). Three years later King William IV appointed a number of Naval Aides-de-Camp to the King, and at the same time appointed Admiral the Rt Hon. Lord Amelius Beauclerk, K.C.B., to be his First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp. Meanwhile Sir Herbert Taylor continued to hold the distinct office of First and Principal ADC, under both King William IV and Queen Victoria, until his death in 1839. He was not directly replaced; however, Beauclerk, following his death in December 1846, was promptly replaced in the office of First and Principal Naval ADC by Vice Admiral Sir William Parker, Bart., G.C.B..

First and Principal Naval Aides-de-Camp

Since 1972, the office has been united with that of First Sea Lord.

Flag Aide-de-Camp

Flag Aide-de-Camp was, for a time, the designation given to the next most senior naval aide-de-camp after the First and Principal Naval ADC (namely between 1972 and 2012). The Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command invariably held this appointment; in October 2012 the post of Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command was abolished, since when the appointment of Flag Aide-de-Camp appears to be in abeyance.