Christopher Prentice

Christopher Norman Russell Prentice (born 5 September 1954) is a retired British diplomat. His last diplomatic post was Ambassador to Italy. He is currently Chairman of the Governors of the British Institute of Florence.

Prentice had been a British diplomat since 1977. From 2002 to 2006 he served as British Ambassador to Jordan, and from 2007 to 2009 as Ambassador to Iraq.

Personal life
Born in The Borough, London, Prentice is a former cricketer who played a single first-class cricket match for Oxford University, scoring 4 and 19 in a game against Worcestershire.

Prentice speaks fluent Arabic and Hungarian. He is married to Marie-Josephine (Nina) with whom he has two sons and two daughters. One daughter, Helen, a doctor, married his predecessor's nephew, Mark, Viscount Asquith in May 2008 in Ashbury, Oxfordshire.

Prentice was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2009 Birthday Honours.

Career
On 6 January 2010, Prentice gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry.

From March to May 2011 Prentice led the UK's diplomatic team in Libya which liaised closely with the opposition in Benghazi.

Career highlights

 * 1977–1978           FCO, Desk Officer, Near East and North Africa Department
 * 1985–1989           Washington, First secretary (Near East and South Asia)
 * 1989–1990           FCO, Assistant Head of European Community Department (External)
 * 1990–1993           FCO, Assistant Private Secretary to Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd
 * 1994–1998           Budapest, Deputy Head of Mission
 * 1998–2002           FCO, Head of Near East and North Africa Department
 * 2002–2006           Amman, Her Majesty's Ambassador
 * 2006–2007           UK Special Representative, later FCO Co-ordinator for the Sudan Peace Process
 * 2007–2009           Iraq, Her Majesty's Ambassador
 * 2011–2016           Italy, Her Majesty's Ambassador