appointed/accreditation |
envoy |
remarks |
appointed during the reign of |
envoy to |
left post |
1505 |
John Stile[2] |
Resident Ambassador;[3] left 1511, returned later |
Henry VIII of England |
Ferdinand II of Aragon |
16 June 1518 |
3 June 1512 |
William Knight[4] |
Commissioned with John Stile to treat with Ferdinand of Aragon about the defence of the Church |
Henry VIII of England |
Ferdinand II of Aragon |
1 September 1513 |
15 July 1517 |
Sir Thomas Spinelly[5] |
Resident Ambassador |
Henry VIII of England |
Charles I of Spain |
1522 |
28 February 1518 |
John Kite[6] John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners[7] |
Special mission to form an alliance between Henry VIII and Charles of Spain |
Henry VIII of England |
Charles I of Spain |
1 March 1519 |
1533 |
Richard Pate |
Resident Ambassador |
Henry VIII of England |
Charles I of Spain |
1537 |
1537 |
Sir Thomas Wyatt[8] |
Resident Ambassador |
Henry VIII of England |
Charles I of Spain |
1539 |
12 March 1554 |
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex |
Mission to arrange marriage of Mary I and Philip II |
Mary I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
20 July 1554 |
12 January 1560 |
Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu |
|
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
24 June 1560 |
24 June 1560 |
Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu Sir Thomas Chamberlain[9] |
|
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
24 June 1562 |
30 September 1561 |
Thomas Chaloner |
Resident Ambassador |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
15 May 1565 |
5 March 1565 |
William Phayre |
Chargé d'affaires |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
4 April 1566 |
12 January 1566 |
John Man[10] |
Resident Ambassador |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
5 October 1568 |
18 November 1576 |
Sir John Smith[11][12] |
Special mission |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
28 July 1577 |
December 1577 |
Thomas Wilkes[13] |
Special mission |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
February 1578 |
May 1579 |
Edward Wotton, 1st Baron Wotton |
|
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
|
January 1583 |
William Wade |
|
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
August 1584 |
1584 |
Thomas Wilson |
|
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
|
2 March 1605 |
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham |
Ambassador Extraordinary Audience: 18. May 1605 Secretary Robert Treswell This was the mission that ceremonially re-inaugurated diplomatic relations. |
James VI and I |
Philip III of Spain |
4 July 1577 |
1605 |
Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington |
|
James VI and I |
Philip III of Spain |
|
1605 |
Charles Cornwallis[14] |
|
James VI and I |
Philip III of Spain |
1609 |
1608 |
John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol |
|
James VI and I |
Philip III of Spain |
|
1609 |
Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington[15] |
|
James VI and I |
Philip III of Spain |
1611 |
1609 |
Peter Wyche |
|
James VI and I |
Philip IV of Spain |
1611 |
1616 |
William Cecil, 17th Baron de Ros |
|
James VI and I |
Philip III of Spain |
|
1617 |
John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol[16] |
kinsman of John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol |
James VI and I |
Philip IV of Spain |
1618 |
1617 |
John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol |
|
James VI and I |
Philip III of Spain |
|
1618 |
Walter Aston, 1st Lord Aston of Forfar |
|
James VI and I |
Philip III of Spain |
|
1622 |
Mr. Hole |
Mr. Hole, the secretary of the ambassador, John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol, having died at Santander, Cantabria in 1622, the body was not allowed to be buried at all; it was put into a shell, and sunk in the sea ; but no sooner was his lordship gone, than the fishermen, we quote from Somers' Tracts, fearing that they should catch no fish as long as the coffin of a heretic lay in their waters, fished it up, and the corpse of our countryman and brother was thrown above ground, to be devoured by the fowls of the air.[17] |
James VI and I |
Philip IV of Spain |
|
1622 |
Simon Digby (fl. 1620–1640s) |
(fl. 1620–1640s), James VI and I resident ambassador in Vienna (May 1621–Dec. 1622) : asserts succession of Electoral dignity from House Palatine to Bavaria |
James VI and I |
Philip IV of Spain |
1640 |
1622 |
John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol |
|
James VI and I |
Philip IV of Spain |
|
1623 |
Endymion Porter |
|
James VI and I |
Philip IV of Spain |
|
1624 |
Stephen Gardiner |
|
James VI and I |
Philip IV of Spain |
|
1 March 1625 |
Peter Wyche |
|
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
30 April 1626 |
11 August 1628 |
Endymion Porter |
|
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
5 January 1629 |
1 July 1629 |
Francis Cottington, 1st Baron Cottington |
Ambassador Extraordinary |
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
20 April 1631 |
18 December 1630 |
Arthur Hopton |
born in 1588 and died in 1650 |
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
23 April 1636 |
13 July 1634 |
John Taylor |
|
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
24 May 1635 |
26 December 1634 |
Walter Aston, 1st Lord Aston of Forfar |
|
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
31 July 1638 |
April 1638 |
Sir Richard Fanshawe, 1st Baronet |
Chargé d'affaires |
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
10 June 1638 |
21 March 1638 |
Arthur Hopton |
born in 1588 and died in 1650 |
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
December 1645 |
25 January 1650 |
Anthony Ascham |
Ambassador sent by Rump Parliament born May 27, 1650, assassinated by Royalists |
English Council of State |
Philip IV of Spain |
27 May 1650 |
27 May 1650 |
George Fisher |
|
English Council of State |
Philip IV of Spain |
26 September 1651 |
February 1657 |
Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington |
He was sent as Charles's agent to Spain, where he endeavoured to obtain assistance for the royal cause, till after the Restoration. He was not recognized as ambassador by Oliver Cromwell's government. |
Charles, Prince of Wales (in exile) |
Philip IV of Spain |
1 May 1661 |
20 December 1659 |
George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol |
|
Charles II of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
1 May 1661 |
20 February 1666 |
Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich |
|
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
11 October 1668 |
26 February 1666 |
Robert Southwell |
|
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
22 June 1666 |
10 July 1668 |
Sir John Werden, 1st Baronet |
Chargé d'affaires born in 1640 and died in 1716 |
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
10 June 1668 |
10 July 1668 |
William Godolphin |
|
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
10 June 1668 |
21 November 1671 |
Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland |
Secretary: Thomas Clifford, 1st Baron Clifford of Chudleigh |
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
20 May 1672 |
29 June 1677 |
Ignatius White |
|
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
October 1677 |
12 June 1679 |
Sir Henry Goodricke, 2nd Baronet[18] |
Envoy Extraordinary |
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
27 March 1683 |
10 December 1682 |
Peter Lefett |
(fl. 1680s) |
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
16 November 1685 |
13 May 1685 |
Charles Granville, 2nd Earl of Bath |
Envoy Extraordinary |
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
December 1688 |
13 May 1685 |
John Stafford |
Envoy Extraordinary (fl. 1680s) |
James II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
December 1688 |
May 1689 |
Viscount Dursley |
Envoy Extraordinary |
Mary II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
August 1689 |
1689 |
Alexander Stanhope[19] |
Envoy Extraordinary |
Mary II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
1699 |
1699 |
Francis Schonenberg[20] |
Dutch envoy with British credentials |
William III of England |
Charles II of Spain |
1702 |
1702 |
War of the Spanish Succession |
No diplomatic relations |
William III of England |
Philip V of Spain |
1702 |
1705 |
Mitford Crowe[21] |
Envoy to Catalonia |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1706 |
1705 |
Paul Methuen |
Envoy Extraordinary |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1706 |
1706 |
Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough,
James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope (joint envoys)[22][23] |
{Ambassador Extraordinary
{Envoy Extraordinary
|
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Charles III of Hungary |
{1707
{1710
|
1711 |
John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll[24] |
Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Charles III of Hungary |
1712 |
1712 |
Robert Sutton, 2nd Baron Lexinton[25] |
Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1713 |
1713 |
Robert Benson, 1st Baron Bingley[26] |
Ambassador extraordinary |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1714 |
1714 |
Paul Methuen |
Envoy Extraordinary |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1715 |
1715 |
George Dodington, 1st Baron Melcombe |
Envoy Extraordinary |
George I of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1717 |
1717 |
John Chetwynd, 2nd Viscount Chetwynd |
|
George I of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1718 |
1718 |
War of the Quadruple Alliance |
|
George I of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1720 |
1720 |
Luke Schaub |
Chargé d'affaires[19] |
George I of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1720 |
1720 |
William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington |
Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, 1721 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
George I of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1727 |
1727 |
Anglo-Spanish War (1727–29) |
|
George I of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
|
1729 |
Benjamin Keene |
Minister Plenipotentiary, 1734 Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary[19] |
George II of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1739 |
1739 |
War of Jenkins' Ear |
|
George II of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1748 |
1748 |
Sir Benjamin Keene |
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
George II of Great Britain |
Ferdinand VI of Spain |
1757 |
1758 |
George Hervey, 2nd Earl of Bristol |
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
George II of Great Britain |
Ferdinand VI of Spain |
1761 |
1761 |
Anglo-Spanish War (1761) |
|
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1763 |
19 February 1763 |
John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich |
appointed but did not go[27] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
|
1763 |
William Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of Rochford[28] |
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1766 |
1766 |
Sir James Gray, 2nd Baronet[19][29] |
Ambassador Extraordinary |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1769 |
1770 |
George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers[30] |
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1771 |
1771 |
James Harris[31] |
Minister Plenipotentiary ad interim |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
|
1771 |
Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham |
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1779 |
1779 |
Anglo-Spanish War (1779-1783) |
|
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1783 |
1783 |
John Crichton-Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute |
appointed ambassador but did not take up the post until 1795[32] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
|
1783 |
Robert Liston |
Minister Plenipotentiary[19][29] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1788 |
1784 |
Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl of Chesterfield |
|
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1785 |
1788 |
William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland[19][33] |
|
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles IV of Spain |
1790 |
1790 |
Alleyne FitzHerbert, 1st Baron St Helens |
|
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles IV of Spain |
1794 |
1794 |
Francis James Jackson |
Minister Plenipotentiary ad interim[33] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles IV of Spain |
1795 |
1795 |
John Crichton-Stuart, 1st Marquess of Bute |
|
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles IV of Spain |
1796 |
1796 |
|
No diplomatic relations |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles IV of Spain |
1802 |
1802 |
John Hookham Frere |
[33] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles IV of Spain |
1804 |
1808 |
Charles Stuart |
Special Mission to Junta of Galicia |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1808 |
1808 |
John Hookham Frere |
[33] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1808 |
1809 |
Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley |
|
George III of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1809 |
1810 |
Henry Wellesley |
[33] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1821 |
1822 |
William à Court, 1st Baron Heytesbury |
|
George IV of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
|
1825 |
Frederick Lamb, 3rd Viscount Melbourne |
|
George IV of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
|
5 December 1827 |
George Bosanquet |
Chargé d'Affaires[33] |
George IV of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1830 |
1830 |
Henry Unwin Addington |
[33] |
George IV of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1833 |
1833 |
George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon |
[33] |
William IV of the United Kingdom |
Isabella II of Spain |
1839 |
1839 |
George Jerningham |
|
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
|
1840 |
Arthur Ingram Aston |
[33] |
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
1843 |
1843 |
George Jerningham |
Chargé d'Affaires, Secretary of Legation The Hon. George SS Jerningham, son of George William Jerningham, 8th Baron Stafford (see Baron Stafford) |
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
|
1844 |
Henry Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer |
|
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
19 May 1848 |
19 May 1848 |
Revolutions of 1848 |
Relations suspended, Bulwer, 1st Baron Dalling and Bulwer served there until Ramón María Narváez y Campos, Duke of Valencia instructed him to leave in 1848, being accused of implicating liberal risings against the former's conservative government. |
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
1850 |
1850 |
John Hobart Caradoc, 2nd Baron Howden |
|
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
|
1858 |
Sir Andrew Buchanan, 1st Baronet |
|
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
|
1860 |
John Fiennes Twisleton Crampton |
|
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
|
1869 |
Austen Henry Layard |
|
Queen Victoria |
Francisco Serrano, 1st Duke of la Torre |
|
1878 |
Lionel Sackville-West, 2nd Baron Sackville |
|
Queen Victoria |
Alfonso XII of Spain |
|
1881 |
Robert Morier |
|
Queen Victoria |
Alfonso XII of Spain |
|
1884 |
Francis Clare Ford |
|
Queen Victoria |
Alfonso XII of Spain |
1887 |
1887 |
Francis Clare Ford |
|
Queen Victoria |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
1892 |
1892 |
Henry Drummond Wolff |
|
Queen Victoria |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
1900 |
1900 |
Henry Mortimer Durand |
|
Queen Victoria |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
1903 |
1903 |
Edwin Henry Egerton |
born in November 1841 and died in 1916) QCMQ, KCB, Envoy 1892-1903 Athenes, 1905-1908: Rome |
Edward VII |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
1904 |
1904 |
Arthur Nicolson, 1st Baron Carnock |
|
Edward VII |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
1905 |
February 1906 |
Maurice William Ernest de Bunsen |
GCMG, G.CV.O., CB (Feb. 1906.) B. '52; E. Rugby and Christ Church, Oxford; |
Edward VII |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
1913 |
1913 |
Arthur Henry Hardinge |
|
George V |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
|
1919 |
Esme Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Penrith |
|
George V |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
1919 |
1924 |
Sir Horace Rumbold, 9th Baronet |
|
George V |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
|
1928 |
George Dixon Grahame |
|
George V |
Alfonso XIII of Spain |
|
1935 |
Henry Chilton |
|
George V |
Niceto Alcalá-Zamora |
|
27 February 1939 |
Maurice Peterson |
|
George V |
Francisco Franco |
1940 |
1940 |
Samuel Hoare, 1st Viscount Templewood |
MI6: Hugh Pollard (Major) |
George VI |
Francisco Franco |
|
1945 |
Sir Victor Mallet |
|
George VI |
Francisco Franco |
|
1946 |
Sir Douglas Howard |
Chargé d'affaires |
George VI |
Francisco Franco |
1949 |
10 November 1949 |
Robert Hankey, 2nd Baron Hankey |
Chargé d'affaires |
George VI |
Francisco Franco |
1950 |
1951 |
Sir John Balfour |
|
George VI |
Francisco Franco |
1954 |
1954 |
Sir William Ivo Mallet |
|
Elizabeth II |
Francisco Franco |
1960 |
1960 |
Sir George Labouchère |
|
Elizabeth II |
Francisco Franco |
|
1966 |
Sir Alan Meredith Williams |
|
Elizabeth II |
Francisco Franco |
|
1969 |
Sir John Russell |
|
Elizabeth II |
Francisco Franco |
|
1974 |
Sir Charles Wiggin |
|
Elizabeth II |
Francisco Franco |
1977 |
1977 |
Sir Antony Acland |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
|
1980 |
Sir Richard Parsons |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
|
1984 |
Lord Nicholas Gordon-Lennox |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
1989 |
1989 |
Sir Robin Fearn |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
|
1994 |
David Brighty |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
|
1998 |
Sir Peter Torry |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
1998 |
2003 |
Sir Stephen Wright |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
|
2007 |
Dame Denise Holt |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
2009 |
2009 |
Giles Paxman |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
2013 |
2013 |
Simon Manley[34] |
|
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain |
|