The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Switzerland is the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

's foremost

diplomatic representative Diplomacy comprises spoken or written communication by representatives of states (such as leaders and diplomats) intended to influence events in the international system.Ronald Peter Barston, ''Modern diplomacy'', Pearson Education, 2006, p. 1 ...

to the

Swiss Confederation ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, and head of the UK's

diplomatic mission A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually den ...

in Switzerland. The formal title of the post is ''His ritannicMajesty's Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation'' but it is usually called, even officially, simply ''His ritannicMajesty's Ambassador to Switzerland''. The British Ambassador to Switzerland is also non-resident Ambassador to the

Principality of Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy ...

List of heads of mission

Envoy Extraordinary

*1689–1692:

Thomas Coxe Thomas Coxe (1615–1685) was an English physician. He studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, graduating with a BA in 1635 and an MA in 1638. He was among the initial fellows of the Royal Society, but ran into money difficulties in old age. L ...

D. B. Horn, ''British Diplomatic Representatives 1689–1789'' (Camden 3rd Ser. XLVI, 1932). *1689–1702: Philibert de Hervart, baron van Hüningen (to the Republic of Geneva only 1689–1692) *1702–1705: William Aglionby ''extraordinary envoy'' *1705–1714:

Abraham Stanyan Abraham Stanyan (c. 1669–1732) was a British diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1715 to 1717. He was ambassador to Austria and the Ottoman Empire. Stanyan was the eldest son of Lawrence Stanyan of Monken Hadley, Middl ...

(also to the Grisons 1707–1714) *1710 and 1715–1717: James Dayrolle ''Resident'' at Geneva *1716–1722: Francis Manning (also ''Secretary'' to the Grisons at Coire 1709–1713)

Minister Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Cantons

*1717–1762: Armand Louis de St. George, Comte de Marsay ''Minster'' at Geneva 1717-34; ''Minister Resident'' to the Helvetic Republic and the Grisons Leagues 1734–1739; ''Minster'' at Geneva 1739–1762 *1738–1743: Sir Luke Schaub (a diplomat) *1743–1749: John Burnaby ''Minister'' *1743–1750: Jerome de Salis ''Envoy Extraordinary'' to the Grisons Leagues *1750–1762:

Arthur Villettes Arthur Villettes was a Kingdom of Great Britain, British diplomat who played an important role in diplomatic negotiations of the 18th century often serving as an envoy of the long-standing controller of British foreign policy the Thomas Pelham-H ...

''Minister''The National Archives
Class SP96J. Haydn, ''Book of Dignities'' (1851), 84. *1762–1765:

Robert Colebrooke Robert Colebrooke (24 June 1718 –10 May 1784) was a British Member of Parliament.Cokayne, George Edward. (Ed.) (1906''Complete baronetage. Vol. V. 1707-1800'' Exeter: William Pollard. p. 116. Early life Robert Colebrooke was the first son of ...

''Minister'' *1763–1765: James, Count of Pictet ''Minister'' to the Republic of Geneva *1765–1783:

William Norton William Joseph Norton (2 November 1900 – 4 December 1963) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served as Tánaiste from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957, Leader of the Labour Party from 1932 to 1960, Minister for Social Welfare from ...

(but absent 1769–1776) **1769–1776: Jean Gabriel Catt ''Chargé d'Affaires'' ** 1772–1774:

Isaac Pictet Isaac; grc, Ἰσαάκ, Isaák; ar, إسحٰق/إسحاق, Isḥāq; am, ይስሐቅ is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He was th ...

''Chargé d'Affaires'' at Geneva ** 1777–1792:

Louis Braun Louis Braun (23 September 1836 – 18 February 1916) was a German painter, mostly of battle scenes. Biography He was born at Schwäbisch Hall, Württemberg, and was educated in Munich and in Paris. He followed as an illustrator the Austrian a ...

''Chargé d'Affaires'' *1792–1795:

Lord Robert Stephen FitzGerald Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or are ...

*1795–1797: William Wickham also ''Special Mission'' 1794–1795S. T. Bindoff, E. F. Malcolm Smith and C. K. Webster, ''British Diplomatic Representatives 1789–1852'' (Camden 3rd Series, 50, 1934). *1797: James Talbot ''Chargé d'Affaires'' *1797–1814: ''No diplomatic relations''

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Confederated Swiss Cantons

*1814–1820:

Stratford Canning Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe, (4 November 1786 – 14 August 1880) was a British diplomat who became best known as the longtime British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. A cousin of George Canning, he served as Envoy ...

*1820–1822: William Cromwell Disbrowe ''Chargé d'Affaires'' *1822–1823:

Henry Watkin Williams-Wynn Sir Henry Watkin Williams-Wynn KCB GCH (16 March 1783 – 28 March 1856) was a British MP in the early 19th century. From 1824 to 1853, he served as the British Envoy to Denmark. Early life He was the younger son of eight children, six of wh ...

Minister Plenipotentiary to the Confederated States of the Swiss Cantons

*1823–1825:

Charles Richard Vaughan Sir Charles Richard Vaughan, GCH, PC, (20 December 1774 – 15 June 1849) was a British diplomat. Vaughan born at Leicester, the son of James Vaughan, a physician, and his wife, Hester ''née'' Smalley. His brothers were Sir Henry Halford (Vau ...

*1825–1832: Hon. Algernon Percy *1832–1847:

David Richard Morier David Richard Morier (1784–1877) was an English diplomat and author. Life The third son of Isaac Morier, Consul-General to the Turkey Company at Constantinople, he was born in Smyrna on 8 January 1784 and educated at Harrow School before e ...

**1847: Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto ''Special Mission'' **1847–1848: Sir Stratford Canning''Special Mission'' *1848–1849: Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley

Minister Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation

*1849–1851: Sir Edmund Lyons, 1st Bt *1851–1852: Arthur Charles Magenis *1852–1853: Andrew Buchanan *1853–1854: Hon. Charles Murray *1854–1858:

George John Robert Gordon George John Robert Gordon (1812-1912) was a British diplomat who served as Minister Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation from 1854 until 1858. He was born in Maryculter, Aberdeenshire, on 4 March 1812, the oldest child of Alexander Gordon ...

*1858–1867: Hon. Edward Harris

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation

*1867–1868: John Lumley-Savile *1868–1874: Alfred Guthrie Graham Bonar

Resident Minister to the Swiss Confederation

*1874–1878: Edwin Corbett *1878–1879: Sir Horace Rumbold, 8th Bt *1879–1881: Hon. Hussey Crespigny Vivian

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation

*Mar – Jul 1881: Hon. Hussey Vivian *1881–1888: Francis Adams *1888–1893: Charles Scott *1893–1901: Frederick St John *1901–1905: Sir Conyngham Greene *1905–1909: Sir George Bonham, 2nd Baronet *1909–1911: Henry Bax-Ironside *1911–1913: Esme Howard *1913–1916: Evelyn Grant Duff *1916–1919: Sir Horace Rumbold, 9th Baronet *1919–1922: Hon. Odo Russell *1922–1924: Sir Milne Cheetham *1924–1928:

Rowland Sperling Sir Rowland Arthur Charles Sperling KCMG CB (1874–1965) was a British diplomat who served as ambassador to Finland, Bulgaria, and Switzerland. Early life Sperling was born in 1874 in London, England the son of Commander Rowland Money Sperl ...

*1928–1931: Sir Claud Russell *1931–1935: Sir Howard Kennard *1935–1940: Sir George Warner *1940–1942: David Kelly *1942–1946: Sir Clifford Norton *1946–1950: Thomas Snow *1950–1953: Sir Patrick Scrivener

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation

*May–Dec 1953: Sir Patrick Scrivener *1953–1958: Sir Lionel Lamb *1958–1960: Sir William Montagu-Pollock *1960–1964: Sir Paul Grey *1964–1968: Sir Robert Isaacson *1968–1970: Henry Hohler *1970–1973: Eric Midgley *1973–1976: Sir John Wraight *1976–1980: Sir Alan Rothnie *1980–1982: Sir Sydney Giffard *1982–1984: John Powell-Jones *1984–1988:

John Rich John Rich (born January 7, 1974) is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist. After ...

*1988–1992: Christopher Long *1992–1997:

David Beattie Sir David Stuart Beattie, (29 February 1924 – 4 February 2001) was an Australian-born New Zealand judge who served as the 14th Governor-General of New Zealand, from 1980 to 1985. During the 1984 constitutional crisis, Beattie was nearly fo ...

*1997–2001: Christopher Hulse *2001–2004:

Basil Eastwood Basil Stephen Talbot Eastwood CMG (born 4 March 1944) is a retired British diplomat. Early life Eastwood was educated at Eton College (from 1957 until 1962) and Merton College, Oxford, where he studied history, and, later, Arabic. Career Eastwoo ...

*2004–2008:

Simon Featherstone Simon Mark Featherstone (24 July 1958 – 26 August 2014) was a British diplomat whose posts included High Commissioner to Malaysia. Career Simon Featherstone was educated at Whitgift School and Lincoln College, Oxford. He joined the Foreign ...

*2008-2008: John Nichols *2009–2013:

Sarah Gillett Sarah Gillett (born 21 July 1956) is a British former diplomat who was British Ambassador to Norway from July 2014 to 2018. She previously served as Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein from 2009 to 2013. Early life Gillett is the ...

*2014–2017: David Moran *2017–:

Jane Owen Jane Caroline Owen (born ) is a British diplomat. She is the current Governor of the Cayman Islands and the second woman to hold this position. She had previously served as the British ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein and the Britis ...

External links

References

{{Lists of heads of UK diplomatic missions

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...