List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Belgium
Encyclopedia
The Ambassador from the United Kingdom to Belgium is the United Kingdom
's foremost diplomatic representative
in Belgium
, and in charge of the UK's diplomatic mission
in Belgium. The official title is Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.
The Austrian Netherlands were then conquered by France. After the Napoleonic War, they were part of the Netherlands
, then briefly known as the Kingdom of Belgium until the Belgian Revolution
of 1830.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's foremost diplomatic representative
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and in charge of the UK's diplomatic mission
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
in Belgium. The official title is Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.
Envoys Extraordinary to the Governors General of the Spanish Netherlands
- 1600–1601: Thomas Edmonds
- 1605-1609: Thomas Edmonds
- 1620: Sir Edward ConwayEdward Conway, 1st Viscount ConwayEdward Conway, 1st Viscount Conway PC was an English soldier and statesman.-Life:He was the son and heir of Sir John Conway of Arrow, and his wife Ellen or Eleanor, daughter of Sir Fulke Greville of Beauchamp's Court, Warwickshire....
- 1665: Sir William Temple, Bt.William Temple (British politician)Sir William Temple, 1st Baronet was an English statesman and essayist.Sir William was the son of Sir John Temple of Dublin and nephew of Rev Dr Thomas Temple DD. Born in London, and educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, he travelled across Europe, and was for some time a member of the Irish...
- 1671: Sir Robert SouthwellRobert Southwell (diplomat)Sir Robert Southwell was an English diplomat. He was Secretary of State for Ireland and President of the Royal Society from 1690.-Background and education:...
Ambassador
- 1689–1692: John Andrew Eckhart Resident
- 1692–1696: Robert Wolseley
- 1696–1699: Richard HillRichard Hill of HawkstoneThe Rev. the Hon. Sir Richard Hill of Hawkstone Hall, Shropshire, was baptised at Hodnet, Shropshire, 23 March 1655 and died unmarried at Richmond, Surrey, 11 June 1727, aged 73...
Envoy Extraoridinary to all parts of Netherlands - 1699–1701: Mr Marmande Secretary
Envoys Extraordinary at Brussels
- 1701–1706: Apparently no representation at Brussels
- 1706–1707: George StepneyGeorge StepneyGeorge Stepney was an English poet and diplomat.Stepney was the son of George Stepney, groom of the chamber to Charles II, and was born at Westminster...
- 1707–1712: John Lawes in charge 1707-1708; then HM Secretary at Brussels
- 1707–1711: Maj.-Gen. William CadoganWilliam Cadogan, 1st Earl CadoganWilliam Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan KT PC was a noted military officer in the army of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough during the War of the Spanish Succession...
(also accredited at The Hague)
Envoys to the Imperial Court at Brussels
- 1711–1713: The Earl of OrreryCharles Boyle, 4th Earl of OrreryCharles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery KT PC FRS was an English nobleman, statesman and patron of the sciences....
Envoy Extraordinary 1711-1712; Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary 1712-1713. - 1712–1715: John Lawes Acting Minister Plenipotentiary; then Secretary
- 1714–1715: Lieut.-Gen. William CadoganWilliam Cadogan, 1st Earl CadoganWilliam Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan KT PC was a noted military officer in the army of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough during the War of the Spanish Succession...
Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary - 1715–1724: William Lethes HM Secretary at Brussels 1715-1717; Resident c.1718-1724
- 1722–1745: Robert Daniel in charge of affairs or Agent
- 1742–1744: Onslow Burrish Secretary 1742-1744; Resident 1744 (residing mainly at Liege)
- 1744–1752: No representation
- 1752–1757: Solomon Dayrolle Minister
- 1757–1763: Diplomatic Relations broken off due to Severn Years War
- 1763–1765: Sir James Porter FRSJames Porter (English diplomat)-Career:Porter was a business associate of Lord Carteret, and in 1741 joined the staff of the English embassy to Austria, in Vienna, and then became British ambassador to the Sublime Porte of the Ottoman Empire in Istanbul...
- 1765–1777: William Gordon
- 1777–1783: Alleyne Fitzherbert
- 1783–1792: George Byng, 4th Viscount TorringtonGeorge Byng, 4th Viscount TorringtonGeorge Byng was the 4th Viscount Torrington, son of George Byng, 3rd Viscount Torrington and Elizabeth Daniel.He gained the title 4th Viscount Torrington at the death of his father in 1750....
- 1789–1792: Francis Wilson Chargé d'Affaires
- 1792–1794: Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of ElginThomas Bruce, 7th Earl of ElginThomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat, known for the removal of marble sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens. Elgin was the second son of Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin and his wife Martha Whyte...
The Austrian Netherlands were then conquered by France. After the Napoleonic War, they were part of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, then briefly known as the Kingdom of Belgium until the Belgian Revolution
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
of 1830.
Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary
- 1830: John, Lord PonsonbyJohn Ponsonby, 1st Viscount PonsonbyJohn Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Ponsonby, GCB was a longtime British diplomat and politician.-Political career:Ponsonby, eldest son of the 1st Baron Ponsonby, and brother of Sir William Ponsonby , was born about 1770. He served as a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons for Tallow...
, special mission to Provisional Government - 1831–1835: Robert Adair, special mission
- 1835–1836: Henry Lytton BulwerHenry Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and BulwerHenry Lytton Earle Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer GCB, PC was a British Liberal politician, diplomat and writer.-Background and education:...
, Chargé d'Affaires
- 1835–1836: Henry Lytton Bulwer
- 1836–1845: Sir George Hamilton SeymourGeorge Hamilton SeymourSir George Hamilton Seymour GCB, GCH, PC was a British diplomat.Seymour was the son of Lord George Seymour and Isabella, daughter of Reverend the Honourable William Hamilton. He married the Honourable Gertrude, daughter of General Henry Trevor, 21st Baron Dacre, in 1831. They had several children....
- 1845–1846: Thomas Waller, Chargé d'Affaires
- 1846–1868: Charles Ellis, 6th Baron Howard de WaldenCharles Ellis, 6th Baron Howard de WaldenCharles Augustus Ellis, 6th Baron Howard de Walden and 2nd Baron Seaford , was a British diplomat and politician.-Family:...
- 1868–1883: John Savile, 1st Baron Savile
- 1883–1884: Sir Edward Baldwin Malet, 4th BaronetEdward MaletSir Edward Baldwin Malet, 4th Baronet, PC, GCMG, GCB was a British diplomat.Edward Malet came from a family of diplomats; his father was Sir Alexander Malet, British minister to Württemberg and later to the German Confederation. After three years at Eton College, Edward Malet entered the foreign...
- 1884–1892: Hussey Vivian, 3rd Baron VivianHussey Vivian, 3rd Baron VivianHussey Crespigny Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian, GCMG, CB, DL, FRGS was a British diplomat.Born at Connaught Place, London, Vivian was the eldest son of Charles Vivian, 2nd Baron Vivian and was educated at Eton College...
- 1892-1893: Sir Edmond Monson, K.C.M.G.Sir Edmund Monson, 1st BaronetSir Edmund John Monson, 1st Baronet GCMG, PC was a British diplomat.-Background and education:Monson was born at Seal, Kent the third son of William John Monson, 6th Baron Monson...
- 1900–1906: Sir Constantine Edmund Henry Phipps
- 1906–1911: Arthur Henry HardingeArthur Henry HardingeSir, ,Arthur Henry Hardinge , G.C.M.G.,1910, K.C.B.,1904, , a fluent speaker of the Spanish and the French languages, was the son of General Hon...
- 1911–1919: Sir Francis Villiers
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belgium
- 1919–1920: Sir Francis Villiers
- 1922–1928: Sir George GrahameGeorge Dixon GrahameGeorge Dixon Grahame, born 28 April 1873, the only son of Richard Grahame of Alderley Edge. Educated at Charterhouse, in Hodgsonite House, between summer 1887 and autumn 1888. Grahame entered the Diplomatic Service in 1896, he was attaché to the Paris Embassy in 1897, Charge d’Affaires at Berlin...
(and Envoy to Luxembourg) - 1928–1933: Granville Leveson-Gower, 3rd Earl GranvilleGranville Leveson-Gower, 3rd Earl GranvilleGranville George Leveson-Gower, 3rd Earl Granville GCMG GCVO PC was a British diplomat.The eldest son of the 2nd Earl Granville, Leveson-Gower was educated at Eton and joined the diplomatic service in 1893 as an attaché to Berlin...
(and Envoy to Luxembourg) - 1933–1934: Sir George ClerkGeorge Clerk (diplomat)Sir George Russell Clerk PC GCMG CB was a British diplomat and Privy Counsellor who ended his career as Ambassador to France from 1934 to 1937, after seven years as Ambassador to Turkey and one as Ambassador to Belgium...
(and Envoy to Luxembourg) - 1934–1937 Sir Esmond Ovey (and Envoy to Luxembourg)
- 1937–1939: Sir Robert CliveRobert Clive (diplomat)Sir Robert Henry Clive GCMG, PC , was a British diplomat.-Early life:Clive was the son of Charles Meysey Bolton Clive and the great-grandson of Edward Clive. His mother was Lady Katherine Elizabeth Mary Julia, daughter of William Feilding, 7th Earl of Denbigh. He was educated at Haileybury College...
(and Minister to Luxembourg) - 1939–: Sir Lancelot Oliphant
- 1944–1947: Sir Hughe Knatchbull-HugessenHughe Knatchbull-HugessenSir Hughe Montgomery Knatchbull-Hugessen KCMG was a British diplomat, civil servant and author.-Background and education:...
- 1947–1950 : Sir George RendelGeorge William RendelSir George William Rendel was a British diplomat. Rendel, the son of the engineer George Wightwick Rendel was educated at Downside School and at Queen's College, Oxford, graduating in Modern History in 1911....
- 1950–1951: Sir John Le Rougetel
- 1951–: Sir Christopher Warner
- 1955–: Sir George LabouchereGeorge LabouchèreSir George Peter Labouchere, , a descendant of a Huguenot family exiled in the XVII Century to England, CMG 1951, KCMG 1955, GBE 1964, was a British diplomat and a notorious modern art collector...
- 1960 – : Sir John Nicholls
- 1963–: Sir Roderick Barclay
- 1969–: Sir John Beith
- 1974–: Sir David Muirhead
- 1979–1981: Sir Peter WakefieldPeter Wakefield (diplomat)Sir Peter George Arthur Wakefield CMG KBE was a British diplomat and art fund director. He served as a diplomat in Amman, Nicosia, Cairo, Vienna, Tokyo and Benghazi and as the United Kingdom's Ambassador in Lebanon and Belgium...
- 1982–1985: Sir John Edward JacksonJohn Edward JacksonSir John Edward Jackson KCMG was a British diplomat.Born in London, Jackson was a scholar at Ardingly College and went on to study at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. He was later commissioned in the RNVR. Demobbed in 1946 in the rank of sub-lieutenant, Jackson joined the Foreign Office the...
- 1985–1989: Sir Peter Petrie, 5th Baronet
- 1989–1992: Robert James O'Neill
- 1992–1996: Sir John GrayJohn Gray (diplomat)Sir John Walton David Gray KBE CMG , was a senior British diplomat.In 1987, as the British ambassador to Beirut, Gray unsuccessfully attempted to dissuade Terry Waite from re-entering Beirut without proper protection, with the result that Waite was kidnapped and held for nearly five years.-Early...
- 1996–2001 David Colvin
- 2001–2003 Gavin Hewitt
- 2003–2007: Richard Kinchen
- 2007–2010: Rachel Aron
- 2010-: Jonathan Brenton