Captain Steve Higham OBE.

Commanding Officer, HMS Prince of Wales.
Royal Navy.

Steve Higham joined the Royal Navy in 1997 after studying law and international law at Cambridge University. He has commanded five ships; served with UK Special Forces; and supported operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria. In July 2021 he joined HMS Prince of Wales as Commanding Officer.

Higham commanded the destroyer HMS Defender in the Eastern Mediterranean, Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean, working with US and French Aircraft Carriers carrying out strikes against Da’esh and supporting US Special Forces in Yemen. He was subsequently awarded the OBE in 2017. He recently worked in the Cabinet Office for the National Security Advisor and, in 2018, was selected by Theresa May to be her Military Assistant. Given the additional role of Private Secretary by Boris Johnson in 2019, he provided support to the Prime Minster on national security policy including: Integrated Review / Spending Review decisions; counter-terrorism; intelligence, cyber and military operations; space policy; strategic nuclear policy and the UK’s nuclear and conventional deterrent. He also advised the Prime Minister on HMG policy in the Middle East, Syria, Eastern Mediterranean, Gulf, South / South-East Asia and NATO and on linked domestic prosperity aspects as part of the Johnson Government’s levelling-up agenda.