HMS Leopard was name ship of her class of Type 41 frigates. She was built at Portsmouth, launched on 23 May 1955 and commissioned on 30 September 1958.

She served on the South Atlantic and South America upon commission. In 1960 she sailed 1,144 miles up the River Amazon to Godajas. In 1961, Leopard sailed to the island of Tristan da Cunha after a volcanic eruption. Her crew assisted in the relief effort, as well as the recovery of personal belongings left behind by the island's inhabitants.

In 1963, Leopard suffered serious damage when she collided with a South African minesweeper during exercises.  In February 1966 she re-commissioned and in August 1966 sailed for the Far East where she spent a busy year of exercises. In 1968, she was diverted to Bermuda in response to civil unrest. 

During Britain's fishing dispute with Iceland in 1973, Leopard was accused by Iceland of threatening to fire on one of their patrol ships. The British government refuted the claims, accusing the Icelandic ship of trying to cut the trawling wires of the German fishing vessels Teutonia and Dusseldorf, and of firing several shots. The government further stated that Leopard had only warned the patrol ship that she would fire back if more shots were fired. Leopard provided further support for British trawlers during another fishing dispute with Iceland in 1975.

She was scrapped at Dartford in 1977