Sir Alex Ellis, the newly appointed British Ambassador to Spain, arrived in Madrid on Monday with a clear goal: to make the already strong relationship between the United Kingdom and Spain “even better.” Ellis, who succeeds Hugh Elliot after five years in the post, expressed his pride in representing King Charles III and the UK in Spain and Andorra.
This is not Sir Alex Ellis’s first experience in Spain. Between 2003 and 2005, he served as an EU advisor at the British Embassy in Madrid. His most recent post was as Ambassador to India, and he has also held ambassadorial positions in Portugal and Brazil. Additionally, Ellis has worked within the European Commission under former President José Manuel Durão Barroso.
“I’m very happy and proud to represent His Majesty King Charles III and my country as ambassador to Spain and Andorra,” Ellis said in a statement. “Our countries have a very strong relationship on so many levels—our citizens, our armed forces, and culturally, educationally, and commercially. I look forward to making it even better.”
Formalities before official duties begin
Before officially taking up his post, Ellis must first present his credentials to King Felipe VI, a process expected to occur in the coming weeks. His arrival comes at a time of ongoing negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom regarding Gibraltar’s status post-Brexit. The ambassador will likely play a key role in these discussions, which aim to finalise Gibraltar’s relationship with the EU.
Connection between the UK and Spain
The UK and Spain share close ties across many sectors. There are currently around 412,000 registered British residents in Spain, while 389,000 Spaniards officially reside in the UK. Additionally, British tourism to Spain remains robust, with 17.3 million UK tourists visiting Spain in 2023, accounting for 20% of all visitors.