List of high commissioners of the United Kingdom to Singapore facts for kids
The High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to the Republic of Singapore is the main person who represents the United Kingdom in Singapore. Think of them as the UK's top diplomat, working to keep good relations between the two countries.
Singapore used to be a British colony. This means it was ruled by Britain for a long time. In 1959, Singapore became a self-governing state. This was a big step towards independence. George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk was appointed as a "commissioner" at that time. In 1963, Singapore declared independence from Britain. It then joined a new group called the Federation of Malaysia. But in 1965, Singapore left Malaysia. It became a fully independent country, known as the Republic of Singapore. Singapore also became a full member of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is a group of countries that were once part of the British Empire. Because Singapore is a Commonwealth member, the UK's representative is called a high commissioner. If a country is not in the Commonwealth, the representative is called an ambassador.
The British High Commission is the office where the High Commissioner works. It is located on Tanglin Road in Singapore. It's close to the offices of other countries, like the Australian High Commission and the American Embassy.
Singapore's Journey to Independence
Singapore's path to becoming an independent nation was an important journey. It started with self-governance and then full independence. This history explains why the UK has a High Commissioner there.
- 1959: Singapore became internally self-governing. This meant it could make many of its own decisions.
- 1963: Singapore declared independence from Britain. It joined the Federation of Malaysia.
- 1965: Singapore left Malaysia. It became a completely independent country. It joined the Commonwealth.
Past Representatives: Commissioners
Before Singapore became fully independent, the UK had "commissioners" there. These people helped manage the relationship between the UK and Singapore.
- 1959: Sir William Goode was the last Governor of Singapore. He became a Commissioner during the changeover.
- 1959–1963: Earl of Selkirk served as Commissioner.
- 1963–1965: During this time, Singapore was united with Malaysia.
Recent High Commissioners
Since 1965, the UK has sent High Commissioners to Singapore. These individuals play a key role in connecting the two countries. Here are some of the people who have held this important job:
- 1965–1967: John Vernon Rob
- 1968–1970: Sir Arthur de la Mare
- 1970–1974: Sir Sam Falle
- 1974–1978: Peter Tripp
- 1978–1982: John Dunn Hennings
- 1982–1985: Sir Peter Moon
- 1985–1987: Sir Hamilton Whyte
- 1987–1990: Sir Michael Pike
- 1990–1997: Gordon Duggan
- 1997–2001: Alan Hunt
- 2001–2002: Sir Stephen Brown
- 2003–2007: Sir Alan Collins
- 2007–2011: Paul Madden
- 2011–2015: Antony Phillipson
- 2015–2019: Scott Wightman
- 2019–present[update]: Kara Owen
- From July 2024: Nikesh Mehta
