Appointed/accreditation |
Incumbent |
Monarch |
Envoy to |
Left office |
1505 |
John Stile[2] |
Henry VIII of England |
Ferdinand II of Aragon |
16 June 1518 |
3 June 1512 |
William Knight[3] |
Henry VIII of England |
Ferdinand II of Aragon |
1 September 1513
|
15 July 1517 |
Sir Thomas Spinelly[4] |
Henry VIII of England |
Charles I of Spain |
1522 |
28 February 1518 |
John Kite[5] John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners[6] |
Henry VIII of England |
Charles I of Spain |
1 March 1519 |
1533 |
Richard Pate |
Henry VIII of England |
Charles I of Spain |
1537 |
1537 |
Sir Thomas Wyatt[7] |
Henry VIII of England |
Charles I of Spain |
1539 |
12 March 1554 |
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex |
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[8] |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
24 June 1562 |
30 September 1561 |
Thomas Chaloner |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
15 May 1565 |
5 March 1565 |
William Phayre |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
4 April 1566 |
12 January 1566 |
John Man[9] |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
5 October 1568 |
18 November 1576 |
Sir John Smith[10][11] |
Elizabeth I of England |
Philip II of Spain |
28 July 1577 |
December 1577 |
Thomas Wilkes[12] |
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 |
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[13] |
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[14] |
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[15] |
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 |
James VI and I |
Philip IV of Spain |
|
1622 |
Simon Digby (fl. 1620–1640s) |
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 |
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
20 April 1631 |
18 December 1630 |
Arthur Hopton |
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 |
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
10 June 1638 |
21 March 1638 |
Arthur Hopton |
Charles I of England |
Philip IV of Spain |
December 1645 |
25 January 1650 |
Anthony Ascham |
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 |
1654 |
Anglo-Spanish War (1654-1660) |
English Council of State |
Philip IV of Spain |
1660 |
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 |
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 |
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[16] |
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
27 March 1683 |
10 December 1682 |
Peter Lefett |
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
16 November 1685 |
13 May 1685 |
Charles Granville, 2nd Earl of Bath |
Charles II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
December 1688 |
13 May 1685 |
John Stafford |
James II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
December 1688 |
May 1689 |
Viscount Dursley |
Mary II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
August 1689 |
1689 |
Alexander Stanhope[17] |
Mary II of England |
Charles II of Spain |
1699 |
1699 |
Francis Schonenberg[18] |
William III of England |
Charles II of Spain |
1702 |
1702 |
War of the Spanish Succession |
William III of England |
Philip V of Spain |
1702 |
1705 |
Mitford Crowe[19] |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1706 |
1705 |
Paul Methuen |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1706 |
1706 |
Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough,
James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope (joint envoys)[20][21] |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Charles III of Hungary |
{1707
{1710
|
1711 |
John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll[22] |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Charles III of Hungary |
1712 |
1712 |
Robert Sutton, 2nd Baron Lexinton[23] |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1713 |
1713 |
Robert Benson, 1st Baron Bingley[24] |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1714 |
1714 |
Paul Methuen |
Anne, Queen of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1715 |
1715 |
George Dodington, 1st Baron Melcombe |
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 |
George I of Great Britain |
Philip V of Spain |
1720 |
1720 |
William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington |
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 |
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 |
George II of Great Britain |
Ferdinand VI of Spain |
1757 |
1758 |
George Hervey, 2nd Earl of Bristol |
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 |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
|
1763 |
William Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of Rochford[25] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1766 |
1766 |
Sir James Gray, 2nd Baronet[17][26] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1769 |
1770 |
George Pitt, 1st Baron Rivers[27] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
1771 |
1771 |
James Harris[28] |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
|
1771 |
Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham |
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 |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles III of Spain |
|
1783 |
Robert Liston |
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[17][29] |
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 |
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 |
|
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles IV of Spain |
1802 |
1802 |
John Hookham Frere |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Charles IV of Spain |
1804 |
1808 |
Charles Stuart |
George III of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1808 |
1808 |
John Hookham Frere |
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 |
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 |
George IV of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1830 |
1830 |
Henry Unwin Addington |
George IV of the United Kingdom |
Ferdinand VII of Spain |
1833 |
1833 |
George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon |
William IV of the United Kingdom |
Isabella II of Spain |
1839 |
1839 |
George Jerningham |
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
|
1840 |
Sir Arthur Ingram Aston |
Queen Victoria |
Isabella II of Spain |
1843 |
1843 |
George Jerningham |
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 |
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 |
Sir Lionel Sackville-West |
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 |
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 |
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 |
George VI |
Francisco Franco |
|
1945 |
Sir Victor Mallet |
George VI |
Francisco Franco |
|
1946 |
Sir Douglas Howard |
George VI |
Francisco Franco |
1949 |
10 November 1949 |
Robert Hankey, 2nd Baron Hankey |
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[30] |
Elizabeth II |
Juan Carlos I of Spain
King Felipe VI of Spain |
2019 |
2019 |
Hugh Elliott[31] |
Elizabeth II
Charles III |
King Felipe VI of Spain |
2024 |
2024 |
Sir Alex Ellis[32] |
Charles III |
King Felipe VI of Spain |
|