ROME -- Edward Llewellyn, a political appointee as the former British Ambassador to France, has been chosen as the UK ambassador to Italy, he announced on Twitter Wednesday. It is unprecedented for even a career diplomat to be chosen for both top and much-coveted jobs and the appointment of Lord Llewellyn to the Eternal City is sure to revive criticism of government croneyism, observers said.

 As was predicted exclusively by The Italian Insider just before Christmas, Lord Llewellyn will replace Jill Morris, the first woman British Ambassador to Italy, who has concluded her assignment in Rome. Lord Llewellyn was named Britain’s man on the Seine in November 2016 after being the Downing Street Chief of Staff under former Prime Minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2016 and Cameron’s Chief of Staff as Leader of the Opposition from 2005 to 2010. Menna Rawlings replaced Llewellyn as ambassador in Paris this summer and the FCDO said at the time only that Llewellyn "will be transferring to another diplomatic appointment."

 Llewellyn, an old Etonian, began his career in 1988 in the Research department of the Conservative Party. In 1992, he worked as an adviser to Governor Chris Patten in Hong Kong, and then in the office of the High Representative in Sarajevo in 1997.

 He worked with Chris Patten again in Brussels from 1999 when the latter was appointed European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs. In 2002, he returned to Sarajevo as Chief of Staff to the High Representative, Lord Ashdown.

 In 2016, he was appointed Lord Llewellyn and became a member of the House of Lords.

 jp