List of high commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom

The high commissioner from New Zealand to the United Kingdom is New Zealand's foremost diplomatic representative in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and in charge of New Zealand's diplomatic mission in the United Kingdom.

The High Commission of New Zealand is located in London, the United Kingdom's capital city. New Zealand has maintained a resident high commissioner in the United Kingdom since 1905, and a resident Agent-General since 1871. The high commissioner to the United Kingdom is concurrently accredited to the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria.

As New Zealand was created as a part of the British Empire, its diplomatic relationship with the United Kingdom is its longest-standing; the position of high commissioner in London pre-dates New Zealand's dominion status by two years, the Balfour Declaration of 1926 by 21 years, and the adoption of the Statute of Westminster of 1931 by 42 years. New Zealand appointed a high commissioner to Canada in 1942, and a high commissioner to Australia in 1943.

As fellow members of the Commonwealth of Nations, diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the United Kingdom are at governmental level, rather than between Heads of State, with member countries exchanging high commissioners, rather than ambassadors.

Sir Lockwood Smith, The current high commissioner

List of heads of mission

Agents-General in the United Kingdom

Name Portrait Monarch Took Office Left Office
1 Dr Isaac Earl Featherston Victoria 1871 1876
2 Sir Julius Vogel 1876 1880
3 Sir Dillon Bell 1880 1891
4 Sir Westby Perceval 1891 1895
5 William Pember Reeves Victoria
Edward VII
1895 1905

high commissioners to the United Kingdom

Name Portrait Monarch Took Office Left Office
1 William Pember Reeves Edward VII 1905 1908
2 Sir William Hall-Jones Edward VII
George V
1908 1912
3 Sir Thomas Mackenzie George V 1912 1920
4 Sir James Allen 1920 1926
5 Sir James Parr 1926 1930
6 Sir Thomas Wilford 1930 1935
Sir James Parr, 2nd time George V
Edward VIII
1935 1936
7 Sir William Joseph Jordan Edward VIII
George VI
1936 1951
8 Sir Frederick Doidge George VI, Elizabeth II 1951 1955
9 Sir Clifton Webb Elizabeth II 1955 1958
Dr Richard Mitchelson Campbell (acting)[1] 1958 1958
George Laking (acting)[1] 1958 1961
10 Sir Thomas Macdonald 1961 1968
11 Sir Denis Blundell 1968 1972
Merwyn Norrish (acting)[1] 1972 1973
12 Sir Terry McCombs 1973 1975
13 Hugh Watt 1975 1976
14 Sir Douglas Carter 1976 1979
15 Les Gandar 1979 1982
16 Bill Young 1982 1985
17 Joe Walding 1985
18 Bryce Harland 1985 1991
19 George Gair 1991 1994
20 John Collinge 1994 1997
21 Richard Grant 1997 1999
22 Paul East 1999 2002
23 Russell Marshall 2002 2005
24 Jonathan Hunt 2005 2008
25 Derek Leask 2008 2013
26 Sir Lockwood Smith 2013 incumbent

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 3 Acting high commissioner only.

References

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