List of ambassadors of the United States to the United Kingdom

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Ambassador of the
United States of America to the
Court of St James's
U.S. Department of State official seal.svg
Seal of the United States Department of State
Flag of a United States ambassador.svg
Flag of the United States Ambassador
Priti Patel and Jane Hartley (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Jane D. Hartley
since July 19, 2022
U.S. Department of State
Embassy of the United States, London
Style His or Her Excellency (formal)
Mr. or Madam Ambassador (informal)
Reports to United States Secretary of State
Residence Winfield House
Seat London, United Kingdom
Appointer President of the United States
with the advice and consent of the Senate
Term length At the pleasure of the President
Inaugural holder John Adams
(as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James's)
Formation1785
Website U.S. Embassy – London

The United States ambassador to the United Kingdom (known formally as, The Ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St James's) [1] is the official representative of the president of the United States and the American government to the monarch (Court of St. James's) and government of the United Kingdom. [2] The position is held by Jane D. Hartley, who presented her credentials to Queen Elizabeth II on July 19, 2022. [3]

Contents

The position is regarded as one of the most prestigious posts in the United States Foreign Service due to the "special relationship" between the United States and the United Kingdom. [4] The ambassadorship has been held by various notable politicians, including five who would later become president: John Adams, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan. However, the modern tendency of American presidents (of both parties) is to appoint keen political fundraisers from previous presidential campaigns, despite the importance and prestige of the office. [5]

The ambassador and executive staff work at the American Embassy in Nine Elms, London. The official residence of the ambassador is Winfield House in Regent's Park. [1]

Duties

The ambassador's main duty is to present U.S. policies to the government of the United Kingdom and its people, as well as report British policies and views to the federal government of the United States. The ambassador serves as a primary channel of communication between the two nations and plays an important role in treaty negotiations.

The ambassador is the head of the United States' consular service in the United Kingdom. As well as directing diplomatic activity in support of trade, the ambassador is ultimately responsible for visa services and for the provision of consular support to American citizens in the UK and oversees cultural relations between the two countries.

List of U.S. chiefs of mission to the Court of St James's

Ministers (1785–1811)

  Independent

  Democratic-Republican

  Democrat

  Whig

  Republican

John Adams is referred to as the first "ambassador". [6] He is also referred to as the first "minister plenipotentiary". [7] Plenipotentiary means "having full power"; a minister that has power to act for their country in all matters. [8]

NamePortraitAppointmentPresentationTerminationAppointerNotes
John Adams Gilbert Stuart, John Adams, c. 1800-1815, NGA 42933.jpg February 24, 1785June 1, 1785February 20, 1788  Congress Second president of the United States [lower-alpha 1]
Thomas Pinckney Thomas Pinckney.jpg January 12, 1792August 9, 1792July 27, 1796  George Washington
Rufus King Gilbert Stuart - Portrait of Rufus King (1819-1820) - Google Art Project.jpg May 20, 1796July 27, 1796May 16, 1803
James Monroe James Monroe (1758-1831).jpg 1803August 17, 1803October 7, 1807  Thomas Jefferson Fifth president of the United States
William Pinkney Williampinkney (1).jpg February 26, 1808April 27, 1808May 7, 1811
Jonathan Russell July 27, 1811November 15, 1811June 18, 1812 James Madison [lower-alpha 2]

Ministers (1815–1893)

Diplomatic relations with what had now become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland were restored after the War of 1812. The Congress of Vienna (1815) established a uniform system of diplomatic rank. Under that system, the highest rank of "ambassador" was a personal representative of a sovereign, and the next rank of "minister", represented a government. As a republic, the United States maintained diplomatic relations with Britain at the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. The rank was colloquially known as Minister, and the position continued to be referred to as "United States Minister to Great Britain".

NamePortraitAppointmentPresentationTerminationAppointerNotes
John Quincy Adams George P.A. Healy - John Quincy Adams - Google Art Project.jpg April 28, 1814June 8, 1815May 14, 1817  James Madison Sixth president of the United States
Richard Rush Richard Rush engraving.png 1817February 12, 1818April 27, 1825 James Monroe
Rufus King Gilbert Stuart - Portrait of Rufus King (1819-1820) - Google Art Project.jpg May 5, 1825November 11, 1825June 16, 1826 John Quincy Adams
Albert Gallatin AlbertGallatin.jpeg May 10, 1826September 1, 1826October 4, 1827
William Beach Lawrence William Lawrence by J Cochran c 1820.jpg Nov 23, 1827November 24, 1828 [10] [11]
James Barbour BarbourT.jpg May 23, 1828November 24, 1828October 1, 1829
Louis McLane LMcLane.jpg 1829October 12, 1829June 13, 1831  Andrew Jackson
Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren.jpg August 8, 1831September 21, 1831March 19, 1832Eighth president of the United States
Aaron Vail July 13, 1832July 13, 1836 [lower-alpha 3]
Andrew Stevenson SpeakerStevenson.png March 16, 1836July 13, 1836October 21, 1841
Edward Everett Edward Everett.png 1841December 16, 1841August 8, 1845  John Tyler
Louis McLane LMcLane.jpg 1845August 8, 1845August 18, 1846  James K. Polk
George Bancroft George Bancroft United States Secretary of Navy c. 1860.jpg September 9, 1846November 12, 1846August 31, 1849
Abbott Lawrence Abbott Lawrence.jpg August 20, 1849October 20, 1849October 12, 1852  Zachary Taylor
Joseph R. Ingersoll Appletons' Ingersoll Jared - Joseph Reed.jpg August 21, 1852October 16, 1852August 23, 1853 Millard Fillmore
James Buchanan James Buchanan.jpg April 11, 1853August 23, 1853March 15, 1856  Franklin Pierce Fifteenth president of the United States
George M. Dallas George Mifflin Dallas 1848.jpg February 4, 1856April 4, 1856May 16, 1861
Charles Francis Adams Sr. Charles Francis Adams.jpg March 20, 1861May 16, 1861May 13, 1868  Abraham Lincoln
Reverdy Johnson Reverdy Johnson.jpg June 12, 1868September 14, 1868May 13, 1869  Andrew Johnson
John Lothrop Motley John Lothrop Motley - Brady-Handy.jpg April 13, 1869June 18, 1869December 6, 1870  Ulysses S. Grant
Robert C. Schenck Robert C. Schenck.jpg December 22, 1870June 23, 1871March 3, 1876
Edwards Pierrepont Edwards Pierrepont Brady-Handy.tif May 22, 1876July 11, 1876December 22, 1877
John Welsh John Welsh 1805-1886.jpg November 9, 1877December 22, 1877August 14, 1879 Rutherford B. Hayes
James Russell Lowell Appletons' Lowell James Russell engraving.jpg January 26, 1880March 11, 1880May 19, 1885
Edward John Phelps Professor Edward J Phelps.jpg March 23, 1885May 19, 1885January 31, 1889  Grover Cleveland
Robert Todd Lincoln Robert Todd Lincoln - Harris and Ewing.jpg March 30, 1889May 25, 1889May 4, 1893  Benjamin Harrison

Ambassadors (1893–present)

Although France became a republic in 1870, the country continued to exchange ambassadors with other Great Powers. In 1893, the United States followed the French precedent and upgraded its relations with other Great Powers to the ambassadorial level. The United States Legation in London became the United States Embassy, and the United States Minister to Great Britain became the United States Ambassador to Great Britain.

NamePortraitAppointmentPresentationTerminationAppointerNotes
Thomas F. Bayard Thomas F. Bayard, Brady-Handy photo portrait, circa 1870-1880.jpg 1893June 22, 1893March 17, 1897  Grover Cleveland
John Hay John Hay, bw photo portrait, 1897.jpg 1897May 3, 1897September 12, 1898  William McKinley
Joseph Hodges Choate Joseph Hodges Choate cph.3b35057.jpg January 19, 1899March 6, 1899May 23, 1905
Whitelaw Reid Whitelaw Reid.jpg March 8, 1905June 5, 1905December 15, 1912 Theodore Roosevelt †
Walter Hines Page Walter Hines Page in 1917.jpg April 21, 1913May 30, 1913October 3, 1918  Woodrow Wilson
John W. Davis John William Davis.jpg November 21, 1918December 18, 1918March 9, 1921
George Brinton McClellan Harvey George Brinton McClellan Harvey (crop).jpg April 16, 1921May 12, 1921November 3, 1923  Warren G. Harding
Frank B. Kellogg FrankKellogg.jpg 1924January 14, 1924February 10, 1925 Calvin Coolidge
Alanson B. Houghton AlansonBHoughton.jpg February 24, 1925April 27, 1925March 28, 1929
Charles G. Dawes Chas G Dawes-H&E.jpg April 16, 1929June 15, 1929December 30, 1931 Herbert Hoover
Andrew W. Mellon AWMellon.jpg February 5, 1932April 9, 1932March 17, 1933
Robert Worth Bingham Robert-Worth-Bingham.jpg March 23, 1933May 23, 1933November 19, 1937  Franklin D. Roosevelt
Joseph P. Kennedy Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. 1938.jpg January 17, 1938March 8, 1938October 22, 1940
John G. Winant John Gilbert Winant.jpg February 11, 1941March 1, 1941April 10, 1946
W. Averell Harriman William Averell Harriman.jpg April 2, 1946April 30, 1946October 1, 1946 Harry S. Truman
Lewis W. Douglas Lewis Williams Douglas.jpg March 6, 1947March 25, 1947November 16, 1950
Walter S. Gifford Walter Sherman Gifford in 1925.jpg December 12, 1950December 21, 1950January 23, 1953
Winthrop W. Aldrich Winthrop Williams Aldrich - War Records of the Knickerbocker Club.jpg February 2, 1953February 20, 1953February 1, 1957  Dwight D. Eisenhower
John Hay Whitney February 11, 1957February 28, 1957January 14, 1961
David K. E. Bruce David K. E. Bruce.jpg February 22, 1961March 17, 1961March 20, 1969  John F. Kennedy
Walter Annenberg Walter Annenberg 1981.jpg March 14, 1969April 29, 1969October 30, 1974  Richard Nixon
Elliot Richardson ElliotLeeRichardson.jpg February 20, 1975March 21, 1975January 16, 1976 Gerald Ford
Anne Armstrong Anne Armstrong 1982.jpg January 29, 1976March 17, 1976March 3, 1977
Kingman Brewster, Jr. April 29, 1977June 3, 1977February 23, 1981  Jimmy Carter
John J. Louis, Jr. John Louis and Ronald Reagan in 1981.jpg May 7, 1981May 27, 1981November 7, 1983  Ronald Reagan
Charles H. Price II Charles H Price II.jpg November 11, 1983December 20, 1983February 28, 1989
Henry E. Catto, Jr. Ambassador Henry Catto speaks on his experiences as a diplomat (cropped).jpg April 14, 1989May 17, 1989March 13, 1991 George H. W. Bush
Raymond G. H. Seitz April 25, 1991June 25, 1991May 10, 1994
William J. Crowe, Jr. Adm William Crowe Jr.JPG May 13, 1994June 2, 1994September 20, 1997  Bill Clinton
Philip Lader Philip Lader.jpg August 1, 1997September 22, 1997February 28, 2001
William S. Farish III William S. Farish.gif July 12, 2001August 1, 2001June 11, 2004  George W. Bush
Robert H. Tuttle Robert Holmes Tuttle.jpg July 9, 2005October 19, 2005February 6, 2009
Louis Susman Louis Susman US State Dept photo.jpg July 13, 2009October 13, 2009April 3, 2013  Barack Obama
Matthew Barzun Matthew Winthrop Barzun.jpg August 6, 2013December 4, 2013January 18, 2017 [lower-alpha 4]
Lewis Lukens Lewis Lukens ambassador 2011.jpg January 18, 2017January 18, 2017November 8, 2017  Donald Trump Chargé d'Affaires [14]
Woody Johnson Robert Wood Johnson official portrait (cropped).jpg January 19, 2017November 8, 2017January 20, 2021 [15]
Yael Lempert Yael Lempert.jpg January 20, 2021January 20, 2021August 1, 2021  Joe Biden Chargé d'Affaires [3]
Philip Reeker Philip T. Reeker.jpg July 15, 2021August 1, 2021July 19, 2022  Chargé d'Affaires [16]
Jane D. Hartley Priti Patel and Jane Hartley (cropped).jpg May 25, 2022July 19, 2022 

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ John Adams became so frustrated with his cool reception at the court that he closed the legation in 1788 and the post remained vacant for four years. [9]
  2. ↑ From 1811 to the outbreak of the War of 1812, chargé d'affaires Johnathan Russell was the chief United States officer in London. The United States severed relations with the United Kingdom on the outbreak of the War of 1812; normal relations were restored in 1815. [9]
  3. ↑ Chargé d'affaires
  4. ↑ Lewis Lukens became the chargé d'affaires. [12] [13]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Ambassador's Residence - Winfield House". uk.usembassy.gov. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Recent Ambassadors to the United Kingdom". uk.usembassy.gov. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Ambassador Jane Hartley presents her credentials to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II". U.S. Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom. July 20, 2022. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  4. ↑ Collier, Peter; Horowitz, David (2002). The Kennedys: An American Drama. p. 6.
  5. ↑ Farrell, Henry (November 28, 2019). "U.S. ambassadorships are destination tourism for the mega-rich". The Washington Post . Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  6. ↑ "John Adams - U.S. Presidents - HISTORY.com". HISTORY.com. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Eyewitness". www.archives.gov. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Definition of "Plenipotentiary"". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  9. 1 2 "United Kingdom". Diplomatic History of the United States. US Department of State. Retrieved May 30, 2011.
  10. ↑ House Documents, Otherwise Publ. as Executive Documents: 13th Congress, 2d Session-49th Congress, 1st Session. United States Congress.
  11. ↑ Officers and Graduates of Columbia College: Originally the College of the Province of New York Known as King's College. General Catalogue, 1754-1894. New York City: Columbia College. 1894.
  12. ↑ Davis, Julie Hirschfeld (January 5, 2017). "In Break With Precedent, Obama Envoys Are Denied Extensions Past Inauguration Day". The New York Times.
  13. ↑ "Biography of Ambassador Matthew W. Barzun". U.S. Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Biography of Ambassador Matthew W. Barzun". U.S. Embassy & Consulates in the United Kingdom. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  15. ↑ Borger, Julian (January 19, 2017). "New York Jets owner Woody Johnson to be US ambassador to UK". The Guardian . Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Biden selects Jane Hartley as ambassador to U.K. (July 16, 2021)". The Washington Post .

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