With "Nelson" damaged by a mine on 4 December, "Rodney" served as the temporary fleet flagship until her sister's return in August. She mostly spent January and February at anchor with occasional missions to provide cover from commerce raiders for convoys. During one such sortie on 21 February in heavy weather, her steering problems resurfaced and forced her return to Greenock, Scotland. Six days later, the ship was visited by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth during their morale-boosting tour of Scottish shipyards. Prime Minister Winston Churchill boarded "Rodney" for a voyage to Scapa Flow on 7–8 March. Despite the danger of aerial attack by the Luftwaffe, most of the Home Fleet was now based there; "Rodney" was near-missed during one such attack on 16 March.