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Charles H. Price II
Charles H Price II.jpg
United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
In office
December 20, 1983 – February 28, 1989
President Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
Preceded by John J. Louis Jr.
Succeeded by Henry E. Catto Jr.
United States Ambassador to Belgium
In office
July 3, 1981 – November 15, 1983
President Ronald Reagan
Preceded by Anne Cox Chambers
Succeeded by Geoffrey Swaebe
Personal details
Born (1931-04-01)April 1, 1931
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Died January 12, 2012(2012-01-12) (aged 80)
Indian Wells, California, U.S.
Resting place Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Political party Republican
Occupation
  • Diplomat
  • businessman

Charles Harry Price II (born April 1, 1931 – died January 12, 2012) was an important American businessman. He also served as an ambassador for the United States. An ambassador is a top diplomat who represents their country in another nation.

Early Life and Career

Charles H. Price II was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His family owned a candy company called Price Candy Company. He went to Wentworth Military Academy and then graduated from the Pembroke-Country Day School in 1948.

After high school, he studied at the University of Missouri. He earned his degree in 1953. From 1953 to 1955, he served in the United States Air Force.

After his military service, Price returned to Kansas City. He started a successful career in banking. He led several banks and financial companies. He also managed his family's candy business from 1969 to 1981.

Serving His Country

Ambassador to Belgium

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan chose Charles Price to be the United States Ambassador to Belgium. The United States Senate quickly agreed with this choice. As ambassador, he represented the U.S. in Belgium.

Ambassador to the United Kingdom

In 1983, President Reagan asked Price to become the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. This is a very important role. The Senate again approved him without any issues. He stayed in this job until 1989. This was when President Reagan's time in office ended.

Handling a Crisis

While he was ambassador in the UK, a terrible event happened. This was the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988. The plane crashed in Lockerbie, Scotland. Ambassador Price was the first U.S. official to arrive at the scene. He quickly told reporters that most of the people on board were Americans. This showed it was a major attack against the U.S.

Later Life and Retirement

After his time as ambassador, Price returned to the business world. He became a leader at Ameribanc, Inc. Later, this company joined with Mercantile Bancorporation. He then became chairman of Mercantile Bank in Kansas City. He retired from this role in 1996.

Charles Price also served on the boards of many large companies. These included British Airways and The New York Times Company. He also helped many charities in Kansas City. He received many awards for his public service.

He lived in Indian Wells, California with his wife, Carol Swanson Price. Charles H. Price II passed away on January 12, 2012. He was buried in Kansas City, Missouri.

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