# Why no HMS Queen Victoria? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853 "2011-10-26T14:40:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/1 "2011-10-26T14:40:43Z")
In addition to such awesome names as HMS Indefatigable, HMS Furious, and HMS Invincible, the Royal Navy named a lot of ships after monarchs - Queen Elizabeth, King George V (twice!), Queen Mary… Why no Queen Victoria? She’s got a whole era named after her, or did she piss off people in the navy enough to never get that nod? ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/2 "2011-10-26T14:56:21Z")
Not an absolute answer but there were several HMS Victorias. The final one was a pre-Dreadnought battleship from 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s jubilee. Unfortunately [HMS Victoria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Victoria_(1887)) was sunk with great loss of life in a stupid accident caused by a gungho Admiral and timid subordinates. Possibly this put the Navy off naming a another ship Victoria or Queen Victoria. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/3 "2011-10-26T15:06:07Z")
There were serveral ships named HMS Victoria. [wiki cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Victoria) The last was a pre-pre-dreadnought battleship (built in 1887) sunk in an accidental collision with another HMS warship. It actually rests 90 degrees upright like a pole in the bottom of the ocean. [link](http://www.oz.net/~markhow/pre-dred/victoria.htm) As to why the word “Queen” was never put in the name, I don’t know. I believe the names of ships approved for construction are submitted by the Admiralty for approval, and it didn’t make the cut. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/4 "2011-10-26T15:06:26Z")
WAG - because it would be too similar to HMS Victory. Also, there have been navy ships named after her > **[HMS Victoria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Victoria)** > > Four vessels of the British Royal Navy have been named HMS Victoria in honour of Queen Victoria: ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/5 "2011-10-26T15:28:51Z")
Maybe the RN thought it an unlucky name following the accident. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/6 "2011-10-26T15:34:05Z")
The question’s been answered, but there have been British warships with “Queen” in the name, incidentally: > **[HMS Queen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Queen)** > > Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Queen. It is one of the oldest ship names of the Royal Navy dating from the time of Henry III of England. > **[HMS Queen Charlotte (1790)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Queen_Charlotte_(1790))** > > HMS Queen Charlotte was a 100-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 15 April 1790 at Chatham. She was built to the draught of Royal George designed by Sir Edward Hunt, though with a modified armament. > In 1794 Queen Charlotte was the flagship of Admiral Lord Howe at the Battle of the Glorious First of June, and in 1795 under Captain Andrew Snape Douglas she took part in the Battle of Groix. > In 1798, some of her crew were court-martialed for mutiny. > **[HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Queen_Elizabeth_(1913))** > > HMS Queen Elizabeth was the lead ship of her class of five dreadnought battleships built for the Royal Navy in the early 1910s, and was often used as a flagship. She served in the First World War as part of the Grand Fleet, and participated in the inconclusive action of 19 August 1916. Her service during the war generally consisted of routine patrols and training in the North Sea. She and the other super-dreadnought battleships were the first of their type to be powered by oil instead of coal.... > **[HMS Queen Emma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Queen_Emma)** > > HMS Queen Emma was a commando troop ship of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Built as a civilian passenger liner in 1939 by De Schelde at Vlissingen, she was named the MS Koningin Emma, after Queen Emma of the Netherlands, and operated by Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland (SMZ) (The Zealand Steamship Company) between Flushing and Harwich, along with her sister ship, MS Prinses Beatrix. After fleeing to Britain after the German invasion in 1940, she was requisitioned by the British Mini... > **[HMS Queen Mary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Queen_Mary)** > > HMS Queen Mary was the last battlecruiser built by the Royal Navy before the First World War. The sole member of her class, Queen Mary shared many features with the Lion-class battlecruisers, including her eight 13.5-inch (343 mm) guns. She was completed in 1913 and participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight as part of the Grand Fleet in 1914. Like most of the modern British battlecruisers, the ship never left the North Sea during the war. As part of the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron, Queen M... And might be again someday: > **[Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_class_aircraft_carrier)** > > The Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy consists of two vessels. The lead ship of her class, HMS Queen Elizabeth, was named on 4 July 2014 in honour of Elizabeth I and was commissioned on 7 December 2017. Her sister ship, HMS Prince of Wales, was launched on 21 December 2017, and was commissioned on 10 December 2019. They form the central components of the UK Carrier Strike Group. > The contract for the vessels was announced in July 2007, ending several ... ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/7 "2011-10-26T17:33:23Z")
Ah - so there were _Victorias_, but not _Queen Victorias_. I didn’t think to look for that. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/8 "2011-10-26T17:42:04Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Maybe the RN thought it an unlucky name following the accident. Well, that didn’t stop them from re-using HMS Vanguard (blew up in harbour) and HMS Invincible (exploded at the Battle of Jutland). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/9 "2011-10-26T17:44:58Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > HMS Invincible (exploded at the Battle of Jutland). I should imagine that to be damned embarrassing. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/10 "2011-10-26T18:58:14Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I should imagine that to be damned embarrassing. It gets worse. Prior to the battlecruiser HMS Invincible’s loss at Jutland, two previous Invincibles were wrecked and another foundered in a storm. Not only that, the last two Invincibles have been the lead ships and have given their name to their classes, which is just tempting fate. On the other hand, HMS Buttercup, HMS Candytuft, HMS Poppy and HMS Primrose all survived WWII. The Royal Navy should learn from this hard won experience, and give their ships names like HMS Puppy, HMS Kitten, HMS Meercat and HMS Modest. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/11 "2011-10-26T19:17:37Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I should imagine that to be damned embarrassing. It gets worse, the HMS Indefatigable… Turned out tomb rather less so. barely got nicked and blew up. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/12 "2011-10-26T19:29:04Z")
[HMS Candytuft.](http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4731.html) I thought for sure you were whoosing me. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/13 "2011-10-26T19:47:19Z")
HMS Irresistible (of the Formidable class) sunk trying to force the Dardenelles, 1915. Irresistible force not so irresistible, but merely formidable… Thank you, thank you. Tip the waitress. Please. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/14 "2011-10-26T20:22:49Z")
RN ships are so few these days that there are plenty of previous names to recycle. The _Flower_ class corvettes did spawn some rather unusual names. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/15 "2011-10-26T22:03:32Z")
I’m from the UK and so naturally disposed to think highly of our Navy, but regardless of your allegiances you’ve got to tip your hat any organisation that can come up with both HMS Candytuft _and_ HMS Warspite. I find myself running a little montage in my head of two able seamen opening their mail and reading of their postings. One is off to HMS Warspite, he punches the air! The other to HMS Candytuft, he crumples the letter and hangs his head. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/16 "2011-10-26T22:21:01Z")
I can only imagine that the crews of the several Royal Navy vessels named “[HMS Cockchafer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cockchafer)” got into a _lot_ of fights on shore leave. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/17 "2011-10-26T22:36:15Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > I’m from the UK and so naturally disposed to think highly of our Navy, My favorite military quote remains, “I do not say the French will not come, Sir. I say they will not come by sea.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/18 "2011-10-26T22:53:39Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > I can only imagine that the crews of the several Royal Navy vessels named “[HMS Cockchafer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cockchafer)” got into a _lot_ of fights on shore leave. Particularly when they met up with the matelots from [HMS Gay Bruiser](http://www.bmpt.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=150) ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/19 "2011-10-26T23:10:03Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > I can only imagine that the crews of the several Royal Navy vessels named “[HMS Cockchafer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Cockchafer)” got into a _lot_ of fights on shore leave. By the sound of it, they were too busy. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853/20 "2011-10-26T23:11:08Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > By the sound of it, they were too busy. Now, see, that’s just the sort of remark that led to all the fights. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-hms-queen-victoria/600853.md?page=2)