Madden returned to sea as commanding officer of the battleship and chief of staff to Sir Francis Bridgeman, commander-in-chief of the Home Fleet in August 1907. He became Private Naval Secretary to Reginald McKenna, First Lord of the Admiralty, in December 1908 and, having been appointed a naval aide-de-camp to the King on 4 January 1910, he went on to be Fourth Sea Lord in January 1910 and took part in the funeral of King Edward VII in May 1910. Promoted to rear admiral on 12 April 1911, he was given command of the first division of the Home Fleet during 1912, the 3rd cruiser squadron during 1913, and then the 2nd cruiser squadron during 1914.