The United States ambassador to the United Kingdom (known formally as the ambassador of the United States to the

Court of St James's The Court of St James's is the royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. All ambassadors to the United Kingdom are formally received by the court. All ambassadors from the United Kingdom are formally accredited from the court – & ...

) is the official representative of the

president of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

and the

American government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

to the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarch and government of the United Kingdom. The position is held by Jane D. Hartley, who presented her credentials to Queen Elizabeth II on July 19, 2022. 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 United Kingdom. The ambassadorship has been held by various notable politicians, including five who would later become presidents: 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. The ambassador and executive staff work at the Embassy of the United States, London, American Embassy in Nine Elms, London. The official residence of the ambassador is Winfield House in Regent's Park.

Duties

The ambassador's main duty is to present US 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 US chiefs of mission to the Court of St James's

Ministers (1785–1811)

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

Ministers (1815–1893)

Diplomatic relations with Great Britain 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 Great 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".

Ambassadors (1893–present)

Although France French Third Republic, 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 Embassy of the United States, London, United States Embassy, and the United States Minister to Great Britain became the United States Ambassador to Great Britain.

Notes

References

United States Department of State: Background notes on the United Kingdom
*

External links

United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for the United Kingdom

United States Department of State: United Kingdom

United States Embassy in London
{{DEFAULTSORT:United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom Ambassadors of the United States to the United Kingdom, Lists of ambassadors of the United States, United Kingdom Lists of ambassadors to the United Kingdom Politics of the United Kingdom