List of ambassadors of the United States to the United Kingdom facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St James's
Flag of the United States Ambassador
Seal of the United States Department of State
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)
Formation	1785
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) 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. 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 the United Kingdom. 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.

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.

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". 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.

Name	Portrait	Appointment	Presentation	Termination	Appointer		Notes
Adams, JohnJohn Adams		February 24, 1785	June 1, 1785	February 20, 1788		Congress	Second president of the United States
Pinckney, ThomasThomas Pinckney		January 12, 1792	August 9, 1792	July 27, 1796		Washington, GeorgeGeorge Washington
King, RufusRufus King		May 20, 1796	July 27, 1796	May 16, 1803
Monroe, JamesJames Monroe		1803	August 17, 1803	October 7, 1807		Jefferson, ThomasThomas Jefferson	Fifth president of the United States
Pinkney, WilliamWilliam Pinkney		February 26, 1808	April 27, 1808	May 7, 1811
Russell, JonathanJonathan Russell		July 27, 1811	November 15, 1811	June 18, 1812		Madison, JamesJames Madison

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".

Name	Portrait	Appointment	Presentation	Termination	Appointer		Notes
Adams, John QuincyJohn Quincy Adams		April 28, 1814	June 8, 1815	May 14, 1817		Madison, JamesJames Madison	Sixth president of the United States
Rush, RichardRichard Rush		1817	February 12, 1818	April 27, 1825		Monroe, JamesJames Monroe
King, RufusRufus King		May 5, 1825	November 11, 1825	June 16, 1826		Adams, John QuincyJohn Quincy Adams
Gallatin, AlbertAlbert Gallatin		May 10, 1826	September 1, 1826	October 4, 1827
Lawrence, William BeachWilliam Beach Lawrence		Nov 23, 1827		November 24, 1828
Barbour, JamesJames Barbour		May 23, 1828	November 24, 1828	October 1, 1829
McLane, LouisLouis McLane		1829	October 12, 1829	June 13, 1831		Jackson, AndrewAndrew Jackson
Van Buren, MartinMartin Van Buren		August 8, 1831	September 21, 1831	March 19, 1832			Eighth president of the United States
Vail, AaronAaron Vail		July 13, 1832		July 13, 1836
Stevenson, AndrewAndrew Stevenson		March 16, 1836	July 13, 1836	October 21, 1841
Everett, EdwardEdward Everett		1841	December 16, 1841	August 8, 1845		Tyler, JohnJohn Tyler
McLane, LouisLouis McLane		1845	August 8, 1845	August 18, 1846		Polk, James K.James K. Polk
Bancroft, GeorgeGeorge Bancroft		September 9, 1846	November 12, 1846	August 31, 1849
Lawrence, AbbottAbbott Lawrence		August 20, 1849	October 20, 1849	October 12, 1852		Taylor, ZacharyZachary Taylor
Ingersoll, Joseph R.Joseph R. Ingersoll		August 21, 1852	October 16, 1852	August 23, 1853		Fillmore, MillardMillard Fillmore
Buchanan, JamesJames Buchanan		April 11, 1853	August 23, 1853	March 15, 1856		Pierce, FranklinFranklin Pierce	Fifteenth president of the United States
Dallas, George M.George M. Dallas		February 4, 1856	April 4, 1856	May 16, 1861
Adams Sr., Charles FrancisCharles Francis Adams Sr.		March 20, 1861	May 16, 1861	May 13, 1868		Lincoln, AbrahamAbraham Lincoln
Johnson, ReverdyReverdy Johnson		June 12, 1868	September 14, 1868	May 13, 1869		Johnson, AndrewAndrew Johnson
Motley, John LothropJohn Lothrop Motley		April 13, 1869	June 18, 1869	December 6, 1870		Grant, Ulysses S.Ulysses S. Grant
Schenck, Robert C.Robert C. Schenck		December 22, 1870	June 23, 1871	March 3, 1876
Pierrepont, EdwardsEdwards Pierrepont		May 22, 1876	July 11, 1876	December 22, 1877
Welsh, JohnJohn Welsh		November 9, 1877	December 22, 1877	August 14, 1879		Hayes, Rutherford B.Rutherford B. Hayes
Lowell, James RussellJames Russell Lowell		January 26, 1880	March 11, 1880	May 19, 1885
Phelps, Edward JohnEdward John Phelps		March 23, 1885	May 19, 1885	January 31, 1889		Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
Lincoln, Robert ToddRobert Todd Lincoln		March 30, 1889	May 25, 1889	May 4, 1893		Harrison, BenjaminBenjamin 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.

Name	Portrait	Appointment	Presentation	Termination	Appointer		Notes
Bayard, Thomas F.Thomas F. Bayard		1893	June 22, 1893	March 17, 1897		Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
Hay, JohnJohn Hay		1897	May 3, 1897	September 12, 1898		McKinley, WilliamWilliam McKinley
Choate, Joseph HodgesJoseph Hodges Choate		January 19, 1899	March 6, 1899	May 23, 1905
Reid, WhitelawWhitelaw Reid		March 8, 1905	June 5, 1905	December 15, 1912		Roosevelt, TheodoreTheodore Roosevelt	†
Page, Walter HinesWalter Hines Page		April 21, 1913	May 30, 1913	October 3, 1918		Wilson, WoodrowWoodrow Wilson
Davis, John W.John W. Davis		November 21, 1918	December 18, 1918	March 9, 1921
Harvey, George Brinton McClellanGeorge Brinton McClellan Harvey		April 16, 1921	May 12, 1921	November 3, 1923		Harding, Warren G.Warren G. Harding
Kellogg, Frank B.Frank B. Kellogg		1924	January 14, 1924	February 10, 1925		Coolidge, CalvinCalvin Coolidge
Houghton, Alanson B.Alanson B. Houghton		February 24, 1925	April 27, 1925	March 28, 1929
Dawes, Charles G.Charles G. Dawes		April 16, 1929	June 15, 1929	December 30, 1931		Hoover, HerbertHerbert Hoover
Mellon, Andrew W.Andrew W. Mellon		February 5, 1932	April 9, 1932	March 17, 1933
Bingham, Robert WorthRobert Worth Bingham		March 23, 1933	May 23, 1933	November 19, 1937		Roosevelt, Franklin D.Franklin D. Roosevelt
Kennedy, Joseph P.Joseph P. Kennedy		January 17, 1938	March 8, 1938	October 22, 1940
Winant, John G.John G. Winant		February 11, 1941	March 1, 1941	April 10, 1946
Harriman, W. AverellW. Averell Harriman		April 2, 1946	April 30, 1946	October 1, 1946		Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman
Douglas, Lewis W.Lewis W. Douglas		March 6, 1947	March 25, 1947	November 16, 1950
Gifford, Walter S.Walter S. Gifford		December 12, 1950	December 21, 1950	January 23, 1953
Aldrich, Winthrop W.Winthrop W. Aldrich		February 2, 1953	February 20, 1953	February 1, 1957		Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower
Whitney, John HayJohn Hay Whitney		February 11, 1957	February 28, 1957	January 14, 1961
Bruce, David K. E.David K. E. Bruce		February 22, 1961	March 17, 1961	March 20, 1969		Kennedy, John F.John F. Kennedy
Annenberg, WalterWalter Annenberg		March 14, 1969	April 29, 1969	October 30, 1974		Nixon, RichardRichard Nixon
Richardson, ElliotElliot Richardson		February 20, 1975	March 21, 1975	January 16, 1976		Ford, GeraldGerald Ford
Armstrong, AnneAnne Armstrong		January 29, 1976	March 17, 1976	March 3, 1977
Brewster, Jr., KingmanKingman Brewster, Jr.		April 29, 1977	June 3, 1977	February 23, 1981		Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter
Louis, Jr., John J.John J. Louis, Jr.		May 7, 1981	May 27, 1981	November 7, 1983		Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
Price II, Charles H.Charles H. Price II		November 11, 1983	December 20, 1983	February 28, 1989
Catto, Jr., Henry E.Henry E. Catto, Jr.		April 14, 1989	May 17, 1989	March 13, 1991		Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush
Seitz, Raymond G. H.Raymond G. H. Seitz		April 25, 1991	June 25, 1991	May 10, 1994
Crowe, Jr., William J.William J. Crowe, Jr.		May 13, 1994	June 2, 1994	September 20, 1997		Clinton, BillBill Clinton
Lader, PhilipPhilip Lader		August 1, 1997	September 22, 1997	February 28, 2001
Farish III, William S.William S. Farish III		July 12, 2001	August 1, 2001	June 11, 2004		Bush, George W.George W. Bush
Tuttle, Robert H.Robert H. Tuttle		July 9, 2005	October 19, 2005	February 6, 2009
Susman, LouisLouis Susman		July 13, 2009	October 13, 2009	April 3, 2013		Obama, BarackBarack Obama
Barzun, MatthewMatthew Barzun		August 6, 2013	December 4, 2013	January 18, 2017
Lukens, LewisLewis Lukens		January 18, 2017	January 18, 2017	November 8, 2017		Trump, DonaldDonald Trump	Chargé d'Affaires
Johnson, WoodyWoody Johnson		August 3, 2017	November 8, 2017	January 20, 2021
Lempert, YaelYael Lempert		January 20, 2021	January 20, 2021	August 1, 2021		Biden, JoeJoe Biden	Chargé d'Affaires
Reeker, PhilipPhilip Reeker		July 15, 2021	August 1, 2021	July 19, 2022			Chargé d'Affaires
Hartley, Jane D.Jane D. Hartley		May 25, 2022	July 19, 2022

See also

• Ambassadors of the United States
• Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington, D.C.
• Foreign relations of the United Kingdom
• List of ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the United States
• United Kingdom–United States relations