Peter Westmacott

Former Ambassador to the United States of America

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9th March 2012 Washington DC, USA

by Peter Westmacott

Former Ambassador to the United States of America

VIDEO: 2012 – A GREAT Year for the US and UK

Ed. note: This is the first video blog in what will become a more regular feature on the Ambassador’s platform. 2012 is a big year for the UK: Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June; the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London starting in July; and more immediately, the official visit of Prime Minister […]

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29th February 2012 Washington DC, USA

by Peter Westmacott

Former Ambassador to the United States of America

The Innovation Generation

After just six weeks in this fascinating job, I can hardly believe how much I am learning. South Carolina and Florida in my first 10 days to get a flavour of the Republican presidential candidates race, some time in Washington finding my feet and rediscovering old friends, then three days in New York followed by, […]

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3rd February 2012 Washington DC, USA

by Peter Westmacott

Former Ambassador to the United States of America

A Uniquely American Breakfast

Yesterday morning I had breakfast with three thousand people. It’s not every day that I can say that. This was the 60th annual National Prayer Breakfast, a key date in the political calendar of this city and country. It was a remarkable occasion. The sheer scale of the event was dizzying. So was the guest […]

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2nd February 2012 Washington DC, USA

by Peter Westmacott

Former Ambassador to the United States of America

A Pivotal Period in Britain’s History

It has been a whirlwind three weeks since my arrival in Washington. I’ve visited the White House to present my credentials to President Obama and watched from the House gallery as he delivered his State of the Union address. I’ve travelled outside of D.C., seeing the South Carolina Republican primary at first-hand and meeting with […]

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19th January 2012 Washington DC, USA

by Peter Westmacott

Former Ambassador to the United States of America

An honour and a privilege: Serving at the heart of the special relationship

It is an immense privilege to return to Washington as British Ambassador, and a great honour to serve at the heart of a relationship that is not just special, but – as our respective leaders have said – essential. I begin my assignment this week at the start of what will be a very exciting […]

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About Peter Westmacott

Sir Peter Westmacott, KCMG, LVO was the British Ambassador to the United States from January 2012 to January 2016. He was born in the village of Edington, Somerset in the…

Sir Peter Westmacott, KCMG, LVO was the British Ambassador to the United States from January 2012 to January 2016.

He was born in the village of Edington, Somerset in the South West of
England in December 1950. He was educated at New College Oxford and
joined the Diplomatic Service in 1972.

After a year in the Middle East Department, and Persian language
training, Ambassador Westmacott was posted to Tehran in 1974. In 1978 he
was loaned to the European Commission in Brussels, before being posted
to Paris from 1980 to 1984.
After 3 years as Chief of Staff to successive Ministers of State in
London, he went to Ankara in 1987, for the first of his two diplomatic
postings to Turkey.
From 1990 to 1993, he was Deputy Private Secretary to HRH The Prince of Wales.
From 1993 to 1997, Ambassador Westmacott was Counsellor for Political
and Public Affairs in Washington, before returning to the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office as Director, Americas.
He joined the Board of the FCO in 2000 as Deputy Under Secretary and returned to Ankara as Ambassador in 2002.
In 2007 he moved to Paris where he served as Ambassador to France until the end of 2011.
Peter married Susie Nemazee in 2001. Between them they have four grown children, Oliver, Laura, Rupert and Safieh.