Sir Michael Culme - Seymour , 3rd Baronet Admiral Sir Michael Culme - Seymour , 3rd Baronet , GCB , GCVO , ( 13 March 1836 – 11 October 1920 ) was a senior Royal Navy officer . On 17 September 1880 he became 3rd Baronet , on the death of his father . The Culme - Seymours were relatives of the Seymour family , his father having added his wife ' s family name - Culme - to his own following her death . Naval career . Culme - Seymour was born in Northchurch , Berkhamsted 13 March 1836 , the son of Sir John Hobart Culme - Seymour , 2nd Baronet ( 1800 – 1880 ) and his wife Elizabeth Culme , daughter of Reverend Thomas Culme . He entered the Navy in 1850 , and in 1856 served as mate in , flagship of the East Indies squadron , which was involved in the Second Opium War . The fleet was commanded by Rear - Admiral Sir Michael Seymour ( his uncle ) , while " Calcutta " was commanded by William King Hall . On 25 May 1857 he was promoted to Lieutenant , continuing to serve on " Calcutta " until 6 June 1859 , when he was promoted again to commander . From 20 June 1861 to 16 August 1865 he commanded in the Mediterranean Fleet . On 16 December 1865 he was promoted to Captain . In December 1870 he commanded in the Channel Squadron . From 1874 to 1876 he was private secretary to First Lord of the Admiralty , George Ward Hunt . In 1876 he returned to the Mediterranean , commanding . In July 1877 he transferred to and took part in the 1878 passage of the Dardanelles commanded by Admiral Sir Geoffrey Phipps Hornby . From 29 July 1879 to 9 May 1882 he was captain of , which was the flagship of the officer commanding Portsmouth harbour , Admiral Alfred Phillips Ryder , at the end of which appointment he was promoted to Rear - Admiral . 1885 saw him as second in command of the Baltic squadron under Phipps Hornby during the Panjdeh Incident . From 5 July 1885 to 20 September 1887 he was commander in chief of the Pacific squadron . He was promoted to Vice - Admiral on 19 June 1888 and from 1890 he commanded the Channel Fleet for two years . From 3 May 1893 to 10 November 1896 he was Commander in Chief , Mediterranean Fleet , replacing George Tryon after the accidental sinking of in a collision . He was promoted to full admiral before taking up the command . From 3 August 1897 to 3 October 1900 he was Commander - in - Chief , Portsmouth . , and in March 1901 he was placed on the retired list . In 1899 he was appointed First and Principal Naval Aide - de - Camp to Queen Victoria . He was re - appointed after the succession of the new King Edward VII , in February 1901 , but resigned from the position in April the same year . In early 1901 Sir Michael was asked by King Edward to take part in a special diplomatic mission to announce the King´s accession to the governments of Belgium , Bavaria , Italy , Württemberg , and The Netherlands . He was granted the honorary offices of Vice - Admiral of the United Kingdom and Lieutenant of the Admiralty in July 1901 , and kept these until his death . He died at Oundle in Northamptonshire in 1920 . Family . He married 16 October 1866 Mary Georgina Watson , daughter of Honourable Richard Watson , MP ( 1800 - 1852 ) and granddaughter of 2nd Lord Sondes . Lady Culme - Seymour died in 1912 . They had three sons and two daughters . His eldest son , Sir Michael Culme - Seymour ( 1867 - 1925 ) succeeded him in the baronetcy , and was himself a senior naval officer . His daughter Mary Elizabeth Culme - Seymour married Vice Admiral Sir Trevylyan Napier .