Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:31:26-1:31:33

Queen Elizabeth, Prince of Wales, and Ark Royal for CVA-01

Royal Navy carrier naming conventions make Prince of Wales or Ark Royal more plausible than Duke of Edinburgh for a CVA-01 sister ship.

CVA-01HMS Ark RoyalHMS Prince Of WalesHMS Queen ElizabethShip Naming
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Question

What names would the CVA-01 carriers most likely have received?

Short answer

Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales are his leading choices, with Ark Royal more plausible than Duke of Edinburgh for a third ship.

Notes

Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales are the likely first two CVA-01 names, with Ark Royal as a plausible third. A serving Prince of Wales did not have to exist before the ship could bear the title. Duke of Edinburgh appears unlikely for the fleet flagship because the name honoured the monarch's consort rather than a sovereign or an established carrier tradition. Ship names reflect hierarchy, precedent, and institutional memory as well as personal patronage.