Monarch Elizabeth II Name Edward Chaplin Preceded by Ivor Roberts Role Diplomat | Monarch Elizabeth II Prime Minister Tony Blair | |
 | ||
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Gordon Brown
David Cameron Preceded by Break in diplomatic relations due to First Gulf War Education Queens' College, Cambridge | ||
Succeeded by Christopher Prentice | ||
Edward Graham Mellish Chaplin CMG OBE (born 21 February 1951) is a British diplomat, notable for serving as British ambassador in occupied Iraq from April 2004. Until January 2011 he served as British ambassador to Italy. He currently serves as the Prime Minister's Appointments Secretary.
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Education and Personal Life
Chaplin was educated at Wellington College, an independent school near the village of Crowthorne in Berkshire, followed by Queens’ College, Cambridge, from which he graduated with a BA 1st Class Hons. Degree in Oriental Studies, in 1973.
Married Nicola Helen Fisher. One son, 2 daughters.
Life and career
Chaplin headed the Middle East and North Africa department at the Foreign Office in the 80s, notably being briefly detained and assaulted by the Iranian Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution in 1987.
Chaplin represented UK at the Nasiriyah conference, where he declared, in April 2003:
In April 2004, after the Invasion of Iraq, Chaplin was appointed ambassador to the Iraqi Governing Council in occupied Iraq.
Chaplin was one of the witnesses of The Iraq Inquiry.
Career highlights
On 1 December 2009, Chaplin gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry in which he spoke about post-war planning for Iraq.