Edward Llewellyn, Baron Llewellyn of Steep explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency The Right Honourable
The Lord Llewellyn of Steep
Office:British Ambassador to Italy
Primeminister:Boris Johnson
Liz Truss
Rishi Sunak
Keir Starmer
Term Start:7 April 2022
Predecessor:Jill Morris
Office1:British Ambassador to France
Monarch1:Elizabeth II
Primeminister1:Theresa May
Boris Johnson
Term Start1:9 November 2016
Term End1:8 August 2021
Predecessor1:Julian King
Successor1:Menna Rawlings
Office2:Downing Street Chief of Staff
Term Start2:11 May 2010
Term End2:13 July 2016
Primeminister2:David Cameron
Deputy2:Catherine Fall
Predecessor2:Jeremy Heywood
Successor2:Fiona Hill
Nick Timothy
Office3:Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition
Term Start3:6 December 2005
Term End3:11 May 2010
Leader3:David Cameron
Predecessor3:Stephen Sherbourne
Successor3:Anna Healy
Office4:Members of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
Term Start4:31 October 2016
Life Peerage
Birth Date:23 September 1965
Nationality:British
Party:Conservative
Education:Eton College
Alma Mater:New College, Oxford

Edward David Gerard Llewellyn, Baron Llewellyn of Steep, (born 23 September 1965)[1] is a British diplomat and former political adviser serving as the British Ambassador to Italy since 2022. He previously served as the British Ambassador to France from 2016 to 2021[2] and as the Downing Street Chief of Staff under then prime minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2016.

In February 2022, he was appointed British ambassador to Italy. He presented his credentials to Italian president Sergio Mattarella on 7 April 2022.

Early life and career

Llewellyn was educated at Sunningdale School.[3] He later attended Eton College, where he was a year above David Cameron. Llewellyn left Eton in 1983 and spent a brief amount of time working at Conservative Central Office, before studying at New College, Oxford, where he was steward (i.e. president) of the College JCR. New College contemporaries included Rageh Omaar, Steve Hilton and Ian Katz.

The UK government website says that Llewellyn spent four years (from 1988 to 1992) working for the Conservative Party's research department, including a year as Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher.

Political career

After leaving Oxford, he was employed as an aide to Governor Chris Patten in Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997, as a member of Patten's 'Cabinet' following Patten's appointment as a European Commissioner from 1999 to 2002, and then as Chief of Staff to the former Liberal Democrat Leader Paddy Ashdown in his role as High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2002 to 2005.[4] [5] [6]

Llewellyn was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1997 Birthday Honours and promoted to Officer (OBE) in the 2006 New Year Honours.

Llewellyn was appointed as an Honorary Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve in July 2021.

Chief of Staff to David Cameron

Following David Cameron's victory in the Conservative leadership election in December 2005, Llewellyn was hired to be Cameron's personal chief of staff in his capacity as leader of the Opposition. Llewellyn continued in this role until 2010.

Negotiations over coalition

He served as part of the Conservative negotiating team, along with George Osborne, William Hague and Oliver Letwin, when they were negotiating a possible deal with the Liberal Democrats after the 2010 general election. Their negotiations were successful and they created the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement leading to the formation of a coalition government.

Downing Street Chief of Staff

Cameron became Prime Minister and appointed Llewellyn to the post of Downing Street Chief of Staff. In July 2011, several newspapers reported that Llewellyn asked Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates not to speak to Cameron about the News International phone hacking scandal.[7]

Following the Conservative Party's election victory at the 2015 general election, Llewellyn was sworn into the Privy Council on 14 May 2015.[8]

House of Lords

In August 2016, he was nominated for a life peerage in David Cameron's Resignation Honours[9] and was created Baron Llewellyn of Steep, of Steep in the County of Hampshire, on 20 October. He took his seat on 31 October, when he was introduced by Chris Patten and William Hague.[10]

Ambassador to France

It was announced on 23 September 2016 that he would become British Ambassador to France,[11] and it was reported that he will not sit in the House of Lords while serving as ambassador.[12] He took up the post on 9 November 2016, being referred to as Edward Llewellyn.[13] Llewellyn was succeeded as ambassador by Menna Rawlings in summer 2021, but it was announced he would transfer to another Diplomatic Service appointment.[14]

Ambassador to Italy

On 18 January 2022 it was announced that Llewellyn would succeed Jill Morris as British Ambassador to Italy and Non-Resident Ambassador to San Marino.[15] He presented his credentials to president Sergio Mattarella on 7 April 2022.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U257752 LLEWELLYN, Rt Hon. Edward David Gerard
  2. Web site: Edward Llewellyn OBE, British Ambassador to France. GOV.UK. 25 November 2016.
  3. Old Boys . School Notes . Summer 2015 . 7 . 16 August 2022 . Sunningdale School.
  4. News: At-a-glance: Cameron's camp . BBC News . 6 December 2005 . 6 July 2010 .
  5. News: The Cameroons . The Guardian . 21 March 2007 . 6 July 2010 . Andy . Beckett.
  6. News: David Cameron's band of Etonian brothers . https://web.archive.org/web/20080603233340/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-camerons-band-of-etonian-brothers-449043.html . dead . 3 June 2008 . The Independent . 20 May 2007 . 6 July 2010.
  7. News: News of the World phone hacking scandal: July 19 morning as it happened. The Telegraph. 19 July 2011. 19 July 2011. Tim. Shipman.
  8. Web site: Business Transacted and Order Approved at the Privy Council held by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 14 May 2015. Privycouncil.independent.gov.uk. 2015-11-25.
  9. Web site: Resignation Honours 2016. 4 August 2016.
  10. Introduction: Lord Llewellyn of Steep. 776. 31 October 2016. House of Lords.
  11. GOV.UK. Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to France: Edward Llewellyn. 23 September 2016. 24 September 2016.
  12. News: Elliott. Francis. Former chief aide at No 10 becomes our man in Paris. 24 September 2016. The Times. subscription. 24 September 2016.
  13. Web site: British Embassy Paris . GOV.UK . 25 November 2016.
  14. Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to France: Menna Rawlings. GOV.UK. 29 April 2021. 29 April 2021.
  15. Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Italian Republic: Edward Llewellyn. 18 January 2022. GOV.UK. 18 January 2022.