What are the Royal Navy's internal factions, and do they still exist?
Short answerThey are long-running patronage networks organized around strategic outlooks, and they still influence mentorship and promotion without necessarily being hostile camps.
NotesRoyal Navy factions are durable networks built largely through officer patronage and professional mentorship. One line is traced to the reign of Charles II and another associated with the current Royal Marines leadership to the early eighteenth century. These are not necessarily hostile cliques: they often represent different philosophies of naval power and may recommend a promising officer to a rival network better suited to that person's outlook. Informal relationships, promotion, and strategic culture can shape an institution across centuries without appearing on a formal organization chart.