The Eagle name appears on nineteen ships, with battle honours ranging from the seventeenth century to the Malta convoys. It traditionally went to useful, important ships without always identifying the fleet's largest unit, until aircraft carriers raised it into the first rank of Royal Navy names. The Queen Elizabeth class provides a modern comparison, since political considerations can influence warship naming. The name's longevity ties together changing ship types, missions, and ideas of naval prestige.
Chapter · 0:00-3:27
Why the name Eagle matters in Royal Navy history
The opening traces the long-lived name Eagle and explains how it became associated with the Royal Navy's most important aircraft carriers.