Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington, D.C.

Coordinates:38°55′11″N77°03′40″W/ 38.91972°N 77.06111°W/38.91972; -77.06111
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British Embassy, Washington D.C.
The "new" chancery, finished 1961
Map
LocationUnited StatesWashington, D.C.
Address3100Massachusetts Avenue,NW
Coordinates38°55′11″N77°03′40″W/ 38.91972°N 77.06111°W/38.91972; -77.06111
AmbassadorDame Karen Piercesince 23 March 2020[1][2]
Websitewww.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-washingtonEdit this at Wikidata
Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington, D.C. is located in the District of Columbia
Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington, D.C.
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The embassy's location inWashington, D.C.

TheBritish Embassy, Washington D.C.(alternatively in the US,Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington, D.C.) is theBritish sovereign'sdiplomatic missionto theUnited States of America,representing the interests of theUnited Kingdomand British Government. It is located at 3100Massachusetts AvenueNWinWashington, D.C.The embassy compound includes thechanceryoffices, as well as theBritish Ambassador's residence.

Consulates[edit]

Outside Washington, the BritishForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office(FCDO; often commonly known simply as the Foreign Office) also maintains consulates-general inAtlanta,Boston,Chicago,Houston,Los Angeles,Miami,New York City,andSan Francisco,headed by consuls-general. There are also British Consulates called (instead) theUK Government OfficesinDenver,and inSeattle,headed by consuls.

Area[edit]

The embassy is situated in a compound that includes theambassador's residence,as well as the old and newchanceries.The residence was designed by SirEdwin Lutyensto resemble anEnglish country manor,with the old chancery facing the street. By the 1950s, the old chancery was deemed too cramped, and the new chancery, designed by chief architectEric Bedfordwas constructed from 1955 to 1961, with Queen Elizabeth II laying the foundation stone on 19 October 1957.[3]Part of the old chancery was converted into staff quarters, and the rest is currently occupied by the offices of theBritish Council.TheBritish governmentwas the first nation to build an embassy in the area that would later become known asEmbassy Row.

Outside the British ambassador's residence standsa statueof SirWinston Churchill.One of the statue's feet is inside the marked embassy grounds; the other is within theDistrict of Columbia.The embassy's website states that this symbolizes Churchill's Anglo-American parentage (his father was British, his mother American) and his status as anhonorary citizen of the United States.[4]

The gardens of the ambassador's residence were planted byElizabeth Sherman Lindsay.Lady Lindsay was a landscape gardener and wife of SirRonald Lindsay,the British ambassador to Washington from 1930 to 1939.[5]

Staff[edit]

The embassy is one of the largest in Washington, employing 210 diplomats and approximately 250 additional staffers.Dame Karen Piercewas appointed on 7 February 2020[1]following the resignation of her predecessor,Sir Kim Darroch,due to a diplomatic row between the US and UK as a result of a leaked memo describing PresidentDonald Trumpas "inept".[6]Dame Karen was accredited by the State Department and formally took office on 23 March.[2]

Events[edit]

Queen Elizabeth IIand theDuke of Edinburghwith PresidentGerald Fordat the British Embassy in July 1976
DirectorGreta Gerwigat an event forBarbieat the British Embassy in July 2023

On June 8, 1939, the embassy, hosted by Ambassador Sir Ronald Lindsay, held a garden party forKing George VIandQueen Elizabeth,the first time that reigning British monarchs had visited the United States.[7]

On February 11, 1964, a reception was held there forThe Beatles,who had played their first concert in America earlier that day at the Washington Coliseum.[8]

On July 7, 2005, theUnited States Army Bandplayed "God Save the Queen"outside the embassy in remembrance of the victims of the7 July 2005 London bombings.[9]This mirrored theBand of the Coldstream Guards' unprecedented performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner"during the Changing of theQueen's GuardatBuckingham Palaceon September 13, 2001 in remembrance of the victims of theSeptember 11 attacksin the United States.[10][11]

On September 9, 2022, whenQueen Elizabeth IIdied at the age of 96atBalmoral Castle,the embassy opened a condolence book. PresidentJoe Bidenand First LadyJill Bidenvisited the embassy and its staff, including Dame Karen, delivered flowers and were the first to sign the condolence book.[12][13]Secretary of StateAntony Blinkenwas among those who also signed.

In July 2023, the British Embassy held a reception for theBarbiefilm, which was filmed primarily in the UK, with directorGreta Gerwig.[14][15]

Film depiction[edit]

The embassy was depicted in fiction in the 2006BBC TelevisionminiseriesThe State Within.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^abWintour, Patrick (7 February 2020)."Karen Pierce appointed first female British ambassador to US".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 24 May 2020.Retrieved11 May2020.
  2. ^abPierce, Karen [@KarenPierceUK] (March 23, 2020)."Delighted to be accredited by @StateDept this afternoon as the new UK Ambassador. For me, the US is the UK's single most important bilateral relationship. We share experiences in war and peace, in defence, in commerce and now in tackling the coronavirus crisis"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  3. ^"A History of the Gardens of the Ambassador's Residence, British Embassy, Washington".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-01-03.Retrieved2014-01-07.
  4. ^CHURCHILL, Winston: Statue at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. by William McVey located in James M. Goode's Massachusetts Avenue areaArchived2011-08-19 at theWayback Machine.Dcmemorials. Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
  5. ^Ames, Olivia, editor (1960).The Letters of Elizabeth Sherman Lindsay, 1911–1954.New York: Privately printed.OCLC81817859.
  6. ^"Sir Kim Darroch resigns as UK ambassador to US".BBC News.Archived fromthe originalon 10 July 2019.Retrieved10 July2019.
  7. ^http://washingtonembassygardens.wordpress /2014/02/09/the-royal-garden-party/Archived2014-03-03 at theWayback MachineThe Royal Garden Party: A History of the Gardens of the Ambassador's Residence, British Embassy, Washington. Retrieved on 2014-02-09.
  8. ^John Lennon Interview: British Embassy, Washington D.C. 2/11/1964 – Beatles Interviews DatabaseArchived2012-03-21 at theWayback Machine.Beatlesinterviews.org (1964-02-11). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
  9. ^CNN – TranscriptsArchived2010-11-29 at theWayback Machine.Transcripts.cnn (2005-07-08). Retrieved on 2013-08-24.
  10. ^Kelso, Paul (14 September 2001)."US anthem played at changing of the guard".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 8 December 2015.Retrieved26 November2015.
  11. ^Graves, David (14 September 2001)."Palace breaks with tradition in musical tribute".The Daily Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on 20 August 2018.Retrieved26 November2015.
  12. ^Massie, Graeme (8 September 2022)."Biden signs condolence book for Queen Elizabeth at UK embassy in Washington DC".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 8 September 2022.Retrieved9 September2022.
  13. ^Pierce, Karen [@KarenPierceUK] (September 8, 2022)."Honoured that @POTUS & @FLOTUS were the first to sign the condolence book for Her Majesty The Queen @UKinUSA. Thank you for your typically generous words and warm memories of Her Majesty"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  14. ^Sharp, Rachel (19 July 2023)."Matt Gaetz's wife calls for Barbie boycott after posing in pink on red carpet".The Independent.
  15. ^Roche, Darragh (19 July 2023)."'Barbie' boycott calls grow among Republicans over movie's "woke messaging"".Newsweek.

External links[edit]

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