List of ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the United States explained

Post:
His Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador
to the United States of America
Insignia:Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government) (2022).svg
Insigniasize:120px
Insigniacaption:Royal Arms of His Majesty's Government
Flagsize:200
Flagborder:yes
Department:Foreign and Commonwealth Office
British Embassy, Washington D.C.
Incumbent:Dame Karen Pierce
Incumbentsince:23 March 2020[1]
Style:Her Excellency
Madam Ambassador
Residence:British Ambassador's Residence, Washington, D.C.
Appointer:The King
on advice of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Reports To:Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Termlength:At His Majesty's pleasure
Inaugural:George Hammond
First Envoy Extraordinary to US
Formation:1791
Website:British Embassy – Washington

The British ambassador to the United States is in charge of the British Embassy, Washington, D.C., the United Kingdom's diplomatic mission to the United States. The official title is His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador to the United States of America.

The ambassador's residence is on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, D.C. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and built in 1928.

Duties

The position of ambassador to the United States is considered to be one of the most important and prestigious posts in His Majesty's Diplomatic Service, along with that of Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The ambassador's main duty is to present British policies to the American government and people, and to report American policies and views to the Government of the United Kingdom. They serve as the primary channel of communication between the two nations, and play an important role in treaty negotiations.

The ambassador is the head of the United Kingdom's consular service in the United States. As well as directing diplomatic activity in support of trade, they are ultimately responsible for visa services and for the provision of consular support to British citizens in America. They also oversee cultural relations between the two countries.

History

The first British envoy to the United States was Sir John Temple, who was appointed consul general in 1785 and was based in New York at the estate at Richmond Hill (Manhattan) which served previously as a headquarters for George Washington.

George Hammond was appointed on 5 July 1791. He held the title of Minister in Washington or Minister to the United States of America.

In 1809, David Erskine and President James Madison negotiated a compromise on Anglo-American disputes over shipping in the Atlantic, which might have averted the War of 1812. However, the deal was rejected by King George III and the British Government recalled Erskine.

By the 1850s, the envoy's title was Her Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, and the United Kingdom had consulates in several American cities. Under the direction of Sir John Crampton in 1854 and 1855, British consuls attempted to enlist American volunteers to fight in the Crimean War. The American government strenuously objected, and President Franklin Pierce asked for Crampton to be recalled. The United Kingdom refused, and in May 1856 the American government dismissed Crampton, along with the United Kingdom's consuls in New York, Philadelphia and Cincinnati. After much negotiation, the United Kingdom was allowed to re-establish its Legation in Washington the following year, and Lord Napier became the new minister.

In 1893, the British diplomatic mission in Washington was raised from a Legation to an Embassy, and Sir Julian Pauncefote, Minister since 1889, was appointed as the United Kingdom's first ambassador to the United States, with the title Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States.

The role has in the past been offered to three former Prime Ministers: the Earl of Rosebery, David Lloyd George and Sir Edward Heath, all of whom declined.[2]

Heads of mission

Minister plenipotentiary (1791–1795)

As a republic, the United States was not entitled to receive an ambassador. Instead, the United Kingdom dispatched a diplomat with the lower rank of minister plenipotentiary. This placed the United Kingdom on equal footing with France, which also maintained a minister plenipotentiary in the United States.[3]

1791–1795: George Hammond

Envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary (1796–1893)

In 1796, the United Kingdom raised its representation to envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, or minister. Diplomatic relations would be maintained at this rank for almost 100 years.[3]

Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary (from 1893)

Ambassadors in fiction

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Pierce . Karen . KarenPierceUK . 1242215477457420289 . 23 March 2020 . Delighted to be accredited by @StateDept this afternoon as the new UK Ambassador. For me, the US is the UK's single most important bilateral relationship. We share experiences in war and peace, in defence, in commerce and now in tackling the coronavirus crisis. .
  2. Web site: What next for Gordon Brown?. Theakston. Kevin. May 2010. History & Policy. 9 December 2010. United Kingdom. 11 January 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120111055350/http://www.historyandpolicy.org/papers/policy-paper-101.html. dead.
  3. Book: Mayo . Bernard . Instructions to the British Ministers to the United States, 1791–1812 . 1941 . United States Government Printing Office.
  4. http://www.britainusa.com/sections/index_nt1.asp?i=41030&L1=41004&L2=41030&D=3 The British Ambassador
  5. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/change-of-her-majestys-ambassador-to-the-united-states-of-america Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to the United States of America
  6. Web site: Sir Kim Darroch resigns as UK ambassador to US. dead. 10 July 2019. BBC News. 10 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190710111742/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48937120.
  7. News: UK names first woman US ambassador. BBC News. 7 February 2020 . 7 February 2020.