The bilateral relations between the Italian Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are warm and exceptionally strong. This relationship is also known as Anglo–Italian relations. The Italian ambassador to the United Kingdom is Raffaele Trombetta since January 2018; the British ambassador to Italy is Edward Llewellyn since February 2022. Country comparison History Diplomatic relations between Britain and Italy predate both Britain and Italy's unification, with diplomatic exchanges between the Papal States and England growing particularly heated during the investiture disputes between kings William and John and their respective archbishops of Canterbury Anselm and Langton. The latter feud ended with John's excommunication being lifted in exchange for swearing his fealty to the papacy. Later, the Court of St. James hosted ambassadors from various states of the Italian peninsula, including those of the Kingdom of Sicily and Piedmont's Count Perron. The British government gave moral and diplomatic support to the "Risorgimento" (Unification of Italy) and the creation of the modern Italian state against considerable international opposition. The famed hero of unification, Giuseppe Garibaldi was widely celebrated in Britain, with a peak in 1861. Twentieth century Italy and Britain concluded the London Pact and entered a formal alliance on 26 April 1915. Following this, Britain, Italy, and the rest of the Allied Nations won the First World War. During that war, British intelligence subsidized Benito Mussolini's activism. Following the march on Rome, Italy initially maintained their close ties with Great Britain. Both countries stood opposed to the French occupation of the Ruhr, and found common ground on the formation of the Four-Power Pact. However, it became clear that Mussolini's expansionist ambitions began to run opposed to Britain's desire to uphold the status quo in the Mediterranean. The initial Corfu incident did little to endear Italo-British relations. Italy occupied the Greek island of Corfu following a disputed killing of Italian arbitrators on the mission to more clearly define the Greco-Albanian border. The conference of Ambassadors that followed was seen as Mussolini's first diplomatic victory, where Italy was granted concessions from Greece, including paving the way for the secession of Jubaland from Britain in modern-day Somalia. Relations finally broke down following the Italian invasion of Abyssinia. Under the guidelines of the League of Nations, Great Britain implemented economic sanctions against Italy, which would cause a lasting rift in their relationship. Although attempts were made to accommodate Italy's ambitions with the