This blog post was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Part of UK in Hungary

7th June 2012 Budapest, Hungary

A Diamond weekend

Did you see the celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee this weekend? I thought they were spectacular. The procession of boats down the river Thames was majestic. The concert outside Buckingham Palace was fabulous and star-studded. And the street parties around the UK looked like such joyful occasions. Certainly the one I went to at the British International School in Budapest was a lot of fun.

The whole weekend brought home to me how popular the Queen is in the UK. And how much the people of Britain appreciate her contribution to their country. I think the reason for that is that the Queen and the royal family have managed to move with the times and have remained relevant even now when the country has changed from the traditional, sedate place it was 60 years ago to one of the most vibrant, creative, high technology, environmentally conscious and multi-cultural places on the planet. That doesn’t just mean the Royal Family have a Facebook page (though they do and you can visit it at facebook.com/TheBritishMonarchy), but their interests and passions reflect today’s Britain. As a new Ambassador I was invited to one of the Queen’s garden parties this year. What struck me there was the variety of people she had invited. From film and theatre producers to people who work with the underprivileged to CEOs from cutting edge internet firms to fashion designers. It was a real cross section of our modern society. And the sandwiches were excellent too!

With so much bad news around right now and with such economically difficult times for British people, as they are for Hungarians, this celebration has given the UK a great boost at the beginning of the summer. In celebrating the Queen’s jubilee we celebrated our own development over these 60 years and all we have to offer to others.

God Save the Queen!

About Jonathan Knott

Jonathan Knott was appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Hungary in March 2011 and arrived in Budapest in February 2012 to take up his post. He left this post on April…

Jonathan Knott was appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to
Hungary in March 2011 and arrived in Budapest in February 2012 to take
up his post. He left this post on April 2015.
He has previously held a variety of diplomatic posts at home and
abroad, several with a particular focus on commercial and corporate
finance issues. Jonathan has served in a number of positions in the
British Diplomatic Service since joining in 1988:
Before his appointment was Deputy Head of Mission and Director for Trade and Investment in South Korea from 2008 to 2011.Between 2005 and 2008 he held the post of Deputy Finance Director in the FCO.From 2000 to 2005 he served as First Secretary (Trade, Corporate Affairs and Finance Negotiator) in UKDel OECD Paris.From 1996 to 2000 he was First Secretary (Head of Political/Economic/Aid Section) in Mexico.From 1995 to 1996 he worked in the FCO as Deputy European Correspondent at the EU Directorate.Between 1991 and 1995 he served as Third later Second Secretary (Political / Press and Public Affairs) in Havana.From 1990 to 1991 he was Desk Officer in the FCO’s First Gulf War Emergency Unit.Between 1988 and 1990 he worked as Desk Officer in the FCO in the Anti Drugs Cooperation Department.
Jonathan holds an MA in law from Oxford University, and he is a
member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. He speaks
English, French, Spanish and Hungarian. He is married to Angela Susan
Knott and has one daughter and two sons.

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