Royal Navy carrier doctrine before the war

Was the Royal Navy behind the United States and Japan in aircraft carriers and carrier doctrine before World War II?

No. It operated a large carrier force, practiced multi-carrier operations, and planned a more capable fleet for 1942 before losses and construction pauses disrupted it.

The Royal Navy operated more carriers than any other navy into the late 1930s and understood their importance. After regaining control of the Fleet Air Arm, it sought 2,000-horsepower engines for a new generation of aircraft. Plans included a single-seat fighter, the Fairey Barracuda, and a long-range reconnaissance fighter that would develop into the Firefly. Existing aircraft were expected to bridge the gap until these designs became available around 1941-42. Night-capable air groups would build on multi-carrier operations first attempted in 1927, practiced regularly from 1929, and supported by doctrine from 1931. The losses of Courageous and Glorious and the pause in carrier construction disrupted that intended force.