The Heads of British diplomatic missions are persons appointed as senior diplomats to individual nations, or international organizations. They are usually appointed as ambassadors, except in member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations where a high commissioner is appointed. The head of mission to an international organization is usually a permanent representative. For some nations a consul or consul-general is appointed.
The positions have a dual role, being representatives of the British Monarchy and the British Government; they are recommended by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and then approved by Buckingham Palace.[1]
| Mission | Location | Type | Head of mission | Position | List | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
 Bahamas | High Commission | High Commissioner | List | |||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Stephanie Al-Qaq | Ambassador | List | |||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy Office | Jon Dean | Ambassador | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Mockbul Ali | Ambassador | List | |||
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| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
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| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | Neil Wigan | High Commissioner | List | |||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| Embassy | Fiona Blyth | Ambassador | List | |||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Catherine Inglehearn | Ambassador | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | Jeff Glekin | High Commissioner | List | |||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Representative | List | |||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Mark Gooding | Ambassador | List | |||
| High Commissioner | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
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 Vanuatu | High Commission | High Commissioner | List | |||
| Embassy | Colin Dick | Ambassador | List | |||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | ||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | List | ||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List |
The United Kingdom does not maintain a full embassy or High Commission in a number of countries. In each of these cases the head of mission to another country, usually a neighbouring one, is also accredited to the other country (except, at present, for the ambassadors to Haiti and Honduras, who are dedicated but non-resident). In most cases a smaller, local mission provides for emergencies, and is headed by a lesser diplomat or a member of the local British community.
In April 2018 the Foreign Secretary announced the opening of nine new diplomatic posts across the Commonwealth.[2] As a result, some countries which currently have non-resident High Commissioners are to receive resident High Commissioners. The expected dates of residence are noted below for those countries where an appointment has been announced.
| Mission | Resident Country | Local Location | Local Mission | Non-Resident Head of mission | Local Position | List | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | None | N/A | Hugo Shorter | Chargé d'Affaires | List | ||
| None | N/A | Ambassador | |||||
| Honorary Consul | High Commissioner | ||||||
| None | N/A | Ambassador | |||||
| Honorary Consul | Ambassador | ||||||
| Liaison Office | Ambassador | ||||||
| Consul | Ambassador | ||||||
| None | N/A | Ambassador | |||||
| N/A | Ambassador | ||||||
| Honorary Consul | Ambassador | ||||||
| Honorary Consul | Ambassador | ||||||
| Honorary Consul | High Commissioner | ||||||
| Honorary Consul | Ambassador | ||||||
| Honorary Consul | Ambassador | ||||||
| Honorary Consul | High Commissioner | ||||||
| Honorary Consul | Ambassador | ||||||
| Consul | Mockbul Ali | Ambassador | List | ||||
| Honorary Consul | Ambassador | List | |||||
| None | N/A | High Commissioner | |||||
| None | N/A | Ambassador | |||||
| Honorary Consul | High Commissioner | ||||||
| None | N/A | Ambassador | |||||
| None | N/A | Ambassador | |||||
| Honorary Consulate | Ambassador | ||||||
| None | N/A | High Commissioner | |||||
| Embassy | Ambassador | List | |||||
| None | N/A | Laure Beaufils | Ambassador | ||||
| Honorary Consul | High Commissioner | ||||||
| High Commission | High Commissioner | ||||||
| Honorary Consul | High Commissioner | ||||||
| Consulate-General | Ambassador | ||||||
| Consulate | Ambassador | ||||||
 Sudan | Ethiopia | None | N/A | Giles Lever | Ambassador | ||
| Consulate | Ambassador | ||||||
| None | N/A | Ambassador | |||||
| None | N/A | High Commissioner |
| Mission | Location | Type | Head of mission | Position | List | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consulate-General | Brian Davidson | Consul-General | Functions held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (before 1968 Colonial Office), British Council and British Trade Commission prior to 1997 | ||||
| Consulate-General | Consul-General | Mission to the occupied Palestinian territories | |||||
| Honorary Consulate | Glenn McCartney | Honorary Consul | Full consular services for Macau are provided via the Consulate in Hong Kong and the Consul-General to Hong Kong is the official diplomat for Macau |
| Mission | Location | Head of mission | Position | List | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambassador to Ethiopia also accredited as Permanent Representative | List | ||||
| Sarah Tiffin | Ambassador | ||||
| Permanent Representative | List | ||||
| Permanent Representative | List | ||||
| Permanent Representative | List | ||||
| Permanent Representative | List | ||||
| Ambassador to the Netherlands also accredited as Permanent Representative | List | ||||
| Head of Delegation | List | ||||
| Simon Manley | Permanent Representative | List | |||
| Permanent Representative | List | ||||
| United Nations agencies in Rome | Rome | Evelyn Ashton-Griffiths | Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations agencies in Rome | ||
| Ambassador to Austria also accredited as Permanent Representative | List |