Five-star Rank - British Five-star Ranks

British Five-star Ranks

The insignia of British five-star commanders usually do not contain stars. An exception to this is the vehicle star plate, mounted on the front of a staff car, which displays five stars.

• Admiral of the Fleet (awarded to 121 men to date)
• Field Marshal (awarded to 140 men to date)
• Marshal of the Royal Air Force (awarded to 26 men to date)

• RN admiral of the fleet
  shoulder board

• RN admiral of the fleet
  sleeve lace

• Marshal of the RAF
  shoulder board

• Marshal of the RAF
  sleeve insignia

Promotion to the ranks of Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Air Force is now generally held in abeyance in peacetime with exceptions for special circumstances. Promotion to the rank of Field Marshal was generally stopped in 1995 as a cost-cutting measure but also allowed for possible exceptions. The most recent appointments to one or more five-star ranks are the promotions in 2012 of The Prince of Wales to honorary five-star rank in all three services, and of former Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank to the honorary rank of Field Marshal.