Armament choices for Admiral-class carrier conversions

Would Eagle-style Admiral-class carrier conversions begin with eight single anti-aircraft guns?

Probably, because early carriers needed separate anti-aircraft and anti-surface weapons until a reliable dual-purpose gun could replace both batteries.

The Royal Navy did not treat converted carriers as cruisers, even when it fitted them with 6-inch guns. Those weapons were intended to repel destroyers or other surface threats that approached the carrier. Without an effective dual-purpose mounting, the ship still required a separate anti-aircraft battery, making an initial fit of individual AA guns plausible. Once a suitable 4.5- or 4.7-inch dual-purpose weapon became available, designers could simplify the battery and cover both surface and air threats with fewer gun types.