Charles H. Price II, 1983–89

If the fate of John J. Louis, Jr was a warning of the potential dangers of political appointees with no depth of political connections as American Ambassador to the United Kingdom, then Charles H. Price II was a clear demonstration that the system of appointing Ambassadors by patronage could work successfully, provided that the appointee had the requisite connections to the levers of power. For over five years, Price combatively represented the foreign policy of Ronald Reagan, taking on anti-nuclear protesters, the Labour Party, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and what he saw as anti-Americanism in Britain. In his time at Grosvenor Square he witnessed sweeping changes in the international and British political landscape — the Cold War, so bitter at the start of Price’s tenure, was winding down as he left London. Price also observed the high water mark of Thatcherism and the friendly relationship between himself and the Prime Minister was one of the more notable aspects of his period as Ambassador.