staff to be Secretary of the mission. This appointment established full diplomatic relations with the Holy See for the first time since 1558 (although the United Kingdom had been intermittently represented at the Vatican during the 19th century by diplomats accredited to Italian states). Sir Henry's instructions, in a letter to him from the Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, were published in a parliamentary paper (Cd.7736):You will ... in presenting your letters of credence to his Holiness, and offering him the cordial congratulations of his Majesty the King on the occasion of his election, intimate to him that his Majesty's Government are anxious to put themselves into direct communication with him for the purpose of demonstrating the motives which have governed their attitude since the first moment that the normal relations between the Great Powers of Europe began to be disturbed and of establishing that his Majesty's Government used every effort to maintain the peace of Europe which his Holiness' venerated predecessor had so much at heart. In August 1916 Sir Henry retired from the Diplomatic Service and was appointed GCMG "in recognition of his long and eminent services, and on the occasion of his retirement." He died in Rome on 4 May 1921. Family On 2 October 1867 Henry Howard married Cecilia Riggs, daughter of George Washington Riggs. They had three daughters and two sons. Lady Howard (as she became) died on 3 December 1907. References HOWARD, Sir Henry, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007, retrieved 30 May 2012 1843 births 1921 deaths Henry Howard People educated at Downside School British Roman Catholics Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the Holy See Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the Netherlands Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Recipients of the Order of Orange-Nassau Riggs family