Sir Christopher Meyerthe former British ambassador to the US has died at the age of 78.
He held this position for six years from 1997 and previously served as press secretary for former Prime Minister John Major between 1994 and 1996.
His death was confirmed by Karen Pierce, current US Ambassador to the UKwho described him as a “great diplomat and a great character”.
“All our thoughts are with Catherine and his family,” she wrote on Twitter.
Sir Christopher reportedly suffered a stroke while on holiday with his wife in the French Alps, according to the Daily Mail.
In 2005, he released his memoir, DC Confidential, in which he talked about his time as an ambassador. It sharply criticized former Prime Minister Tony Blair for his handling of the period leading up to the Iraq war.
After retiring as ambassador to the US, he chaired the UK Press Complaints Commission from 2003 to 2009.