List of high commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Jerry_Mateparae_official_photo.jpg/170px-Jerry_Mateparae_official_photo.jpg)
The High Commissioner of 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.
History[]
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 as High Commissioner to Nigeria.
The High Commissioner was formerly accredited as , which is now a resident mission in Dublin since 2018.
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.
List of heads of mission[]
The following individuals have held the office:[1]
No. | Name | Portrait | Term of office | Monarch | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hon. Dr Isaac Earl Featherston[nb 1] | ![]() |
March 1871 | September 1876 | Victoria |
2 | Rt Hon. Sir Julius Vogel | ![]() |
September 1876 | December 1880 | |
3 | Hon. Sir Dillon Bell | ![]() |
December 1880 | September 1891 | |
4 | Sir Westby Perceval | ![]() |
September 1891 | December 1895 | |
5 | Hon. William Pember Reeves[nb 2] | ![]() |
December 1895 | December 1908 | |
Edward VII | |||||
6 | Hon. Sir William Hall-Jones | ![]() |
December 1908 | August 1912 | |
George V | |||||
7 | Rt Hon. Sir Thomas Mackenzie | ![]() |
August 1912 | August 1920 | |
8 | Hon. Sir James Allen | ![]() |
August 1920 | January 1926 | |
9 | Hon. Sir James Parr | ![]() |
January 1926 | 1930 | |
10 | Hon. Sir Thomas Wilford | ![]() |
1930 | 1935 | |
(9) | Hon. Sir James Parr | ![]() |
1935 | 3 September 1936 | |
Edward VIII | |||||
11 | Rt Hon. Sir Bill Jordan | ![]() |
3 September 1936 | 17 September 1951 | |
George VI | |||||
12 | Hon. Sir Frederick Doidge | ![]() |
17 September 1951 | 26 May 1954† | |
Elizabeth II | |||||
13 | Hon. Sir Clifton Webb | ![]() |
4 January 1955 | 31 March 1958 | |
- | Dr Dick Campbell |
![]() |
1 April 1958 | 30 September 1958 | |
- | George Laking (acting) |
![]() |
30 September 1958 | 20 March 1961 | |
14 | Hon. Sir Thomas Macdonald | ![]() |
20 March 1961 | May 1968 | |
15 | Sir Denis Blundell | ![]() |
May 1968 | August 1972 | |
- | Merv Norrish (acting) |
![]() |
August 1972 | 15 March 1973 | |
16 | Hon. Terry McCombs | ![]() |
15 March 1973 | 22 March 1975 | |
17 | Rt Hon. Hugh Watt, PC, JP | ![]() |
22 March 1975 | 21 June 1976 | |
18 | Hon. Sir Douglas Carter | ![]() |
21 June 1976 | 16 July 1979 | |
19 | Hon. Les Gandar | ![]() |
16 July 1979 | 27 September 1982 | |
20 | Hon. Bill Young | ![]() |
27 September 1982 | 21 February 1985 | |
21 | Hon. Joe Walding | ![]() |
21 February 1985 | 5 June 1985† | |
22 | Bryce Harland | ![]() |
15 October 1985 | 3 June 1991 | |
23 | Hon. George Gair | ![]() |
3 June 1991 | April 1994 | |
24 | John Collinge | ![]() |
April 1994 | 1 May 1997 | |
25 | ![]() |
1 May 1997 | 4 January 1999 | ||
26 | Rt Hon. Paul East, QC, PC | ![]() |
4 January 1999 | 4 January 2002 | |
27 | Hon. Russell Marshall | ![]() |
4 January 2002 | 4 January 2005 | |
28 | Rt Hon. Jonathan Hunt, PC | ![]() |
April 2005 | March 2008 | |
29 | Derek Leask | ![]() |
March 2008 | February 2013 | |
30 | Rt Hon. Sir Lockwood Smith | ![]() |
25 March 2013 | 24 March 2017 | |
31 | Rt Hon. Sir Jerry Mateparae | ![]() |
24 March 2017 | April 2020 | |
32 | ![]() |
April 2020 | Incumbent |
Table footnotes:
- ^ the first Agent-General for the Colony of New Zealand
- ^ the last Agent-General and the first High Commissioner for the Dominion of New Zealand
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Heads of Missions List: U". New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 8 July 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2006.
- Lists of High Commissioners of New Zealand
- Lists of ambassadors to the United Kingdom
- High Commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom
- Ireland–New Zealand relations
- New Zealand–Nigeria relations
- New Zealand–United Kingdom relations
- Lists of ambassadors to Nigeria
- Lists of ambassadors to Ireland
- Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations
- New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Nations
- Nigeria and the Commonwealth of Nations
- United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations