Honorary Ambassador of Vishwamitra in the United Kingdom
| Honorary Ambassador of Vishwamitra in the United Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| यूनाइटेड किंगडम में विश्वामित्र के मानद राजदूत | |
 | |
| Ministry of External Affairs | |
| Style | His/Her Excellency (international correspondence) |
| Nominator | Minister of External Affairs |
| Appointer | Rashtradhyaksh (as Chief Ambassador) |
| Term length | On the pleasure of the Rashtradhyaksh |
| Inaugural holder | Ava Calero |
| Formation | 22 December 2020 |
The Honorary Ambassador of Vishwamitra in the United Kingdom (Hindi: यूनाइटेड किंगडम में विश्वामित्र के मानद राजदूत) is an officer of the honorary diplomatic corps of Vishwamitra who serves as the head of the honorary diplomatic mission of Vishwamitra in the United Kingdom. The diplomat holds the rank of an Honorary Ambassador who is appointed by the Rashtradhyaksh and remains in office at the pleasure of the Rashtradhyaksh and during their tenure in office, they represent the crown and the government of Vishwamitra in the United Kingdom and is responsible to cater the interests of the non-residential (overseas) citizens of Vishwamitra residing in the United Kingdom or are of British-origin.
As the recognition of the United Kingdom by Vishwamitra is not reciprocated and not bilateral, Vishwamitra maintains an honorary embassy in the country as compared to a full-fledged mission which are, in contrary, only accredited to mutually recognized nations (the micronations).
History
The position of the ambassador was first created on 22 December 2020 along with the creation of a full-fledged mission. The first ambassador was Ava Calero who later also served as the Ambassador of New Holland, the former overseas territory which was annexed from the United Kingdom. She was replaced on 14 April 2021 by Matthew Griffin who later served as Chief of the Air Staff and interim Minister of Defence. Griffin remained in office until stepping down in June 2022 to pursue non-micronational career. He was succeeded by Rafe Burfield, then Minister of State for External Affairs and Consul-General in Somerset on 17 June 2022. He later also served as Minister of External Affairs.
In a cabinet decision, the regular diplomatic missions accredited to macronations which are unilaterally recognized by Vishwamitra were reorganized to honorary status on 8 May 2023. Thereupon, the status of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom was changed to the position of that of an Honorary Ambassador. Burfield has since continued to serve as honorary ambassador in the United Kingdom.
Responsibilities
The honorary ambassador serves as the principal representative of the crown of Vishwamitra and the government in the United Kingdom and is responsible to cater the interests of the non-residential (overseas) citizens of Vishwamitra residing in the United Kingdom or are of British origin. The ambassador is also responsible to present the policies of the government of Vishwamitra to the citizens and report the policies of the British government to the Vishwamitran government and the crown. The ambassador also oversees the diplomatic activity and is often responsible for overseeing the trade and cultural relations between Vishwamitra and the United Kingdom.
The honorary ambassador is also assisted by a team of junior diplomats who are titled as honorary consuls-general. The honorary consuls-general are appointed to the various states and territories of Australia. They represent the crown and government of Vishwamitra only at the jurisdictional level while the ambassador is responsible for the affairs in the whole nation. As of 2023, only one honorary consul has been appointed:
- Honorary Consul-General in England: Tobey Wyles, since 24 September 2023
- Honorary Consul in London: Reuben Isze, since 17 June 2022
List of ambassadors
The first ambassador in office was Ava Calero who served between December 2020 and April 2021. The current ambassador is Rafe Burfield who was appointed on 17 June 2022.
| No. | Portrait | Name (born-died) |
Tenure | Appointer | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Term began | Term end | Term length | |||||
| Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |||||||
| 1 | 
|
Ava Calero (born 2005) |
22 December 2020 |
14 April 2021 |
113 days | Varuna Sriraya (Rashtradhyaksh) |
Appointed as the inaugural ambassador upon the creation of the mission in December 2020. Later elected to the parliament and also served as the Administrator of the Vishwamitran overseas territory of New Holland which was annexed from the United Kingdom in February 2021. Continued to serve in office until being replaced in April 2021. |
| 2 | 
|
Marshal (Retd.) Tan Sri Dato Sri Utama Matthew Griffin (born 2003) |
14 April 2021 |
17 June 2022 |
1 year, 64 days | Appointed as the second office-holder on 14 April 2021 to replace Ava Calero who was honourably dismissed from office. Later served as the Commander of the Royal Air Force and as the Chief of Air Staff and as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee. Briefly also served as the Minister of Defence in the caretaker government of Prime Minister Phillip Joseph Pillin. During his tenure, he was also concurrently accredited as the Ambassador to Austenasia and Lundenwic. Resigned from office on 17 June 2022 citing personal reasons. | |
| 3 | 
|
Raj Bhushan Tan Sri Dato Utama Rafe Burfield (born 2005) |
17 June 2022 |
8 May 2023 |
325 days | Minister of State for External Affairs and Consul-General in Somerset at the time of appointment. Appointed as the third office-holder on 17 June 2022 following the resignation of Matthew Griffin. Later served as the Minister of External Affairs and ex-officio First Ambassador between June 2022 and March 2023. Continued to serve in office upon the changes to the status of the office in May 2023. | |
| Honorary Ambassador in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |||||||
| (3) |
|
Raj Bhushan Tan Sri Dato Utama Rafe Burfield (born 2005) |
8 May 2023 |
Incumbent | 356 days | Varuna Sriraya (Rashtradhyaksh) |
Appointed as the first honorary ambassador in the United Kingdom upon the initiation of changes to the position in May 2023. Appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Empire of Austenasia on 6 August 2023. Currently serving in office. |