United States maintained diplomatic relations with Great Britain at the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. The rank was colloquially known as Minister, and the position continued to be referred to as "United States Minister to Great Britain". Ambassadors (1893–present) Although France became a republic in 1870, the country continued to exchange ambassadors with other Great Powers. In 1893, the United States followed the French precedent and upgraded its relations with other Great Powers to the ambassadorial level. The United States Legation in London became the United States Embassy, and the United States Minister to Great Britain became the United States Ambassador to Great Britain. See also Ambassadors of the United States Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington, D.C. Foreign relations of the United Kingdom List of ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the United States United Kingdom–United States relations Notes References United States Department of State: Background notes on the United Kingdom Further reading External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for the United Kingdom United States Department of State: United Kingdom United States Embassy in London United Kingdom Lists of ambassadors to the United Kingdom Politics of the United Kingdom