Funding cuts held the Audacious class to two carriers

Why did the Royal Navy receive only two Audacious-class aircraft carriers?

Government funding cuts stopped the class at two ships.

The class size is explained by an institutional decision rather than a technical failure. The Royal Navy wanted more large fleet carriers, but government funding did not sustain the wider programme. The surviving pair therefore reflects postwar budget decisions rather than an inherent two-ship operational requirement. The brief exchange is a reminder that force structure is often determined outside the design office.