No United States ambassador to London in recent years has been so readily taken to the heart of the British establishment as Raymond Seitz, and no US ambassador has ended up so close to that heart either.
The much coveted post is a political gift of the US president, and successive ambassadors, including the recently arrived Philip Lader, have always been political appointees.
Mr Seitz was different. The Honolulu-born Yale graduate was the first career diplomat to be appointed to the post, and, though posted initially by President Bush to succeed Henry Catto in 1991, he was retained when Bill Clinton took over the White House in 1992. Mr Seitz was eventually succeeded by Admiral William Crowe in 1994.
Mr Seitz (57) joined the US foreign service in 1966 and had two spells at the London embassy before becoming ambassador. He was political officer from 1975 until 1979, closely observing the rise of Margaret Thatcher. He was again briefly posted to London in 1984. In between he worked in Africa and Canada, and rose to head the State Department's European division.
On his arrival as ambassador, Mr Seitz rapidly established a reputation as an Anglophile, and was seen as an important counterweight on Irish questions to Mr Clinton's Dublin appointee, Jean Kennedy Smith.
Mr Seitz, a generous and legendary host, became a familiar broadcaster and lecturer during his period in Grosvenor Square. His love affair with Britain culminated in a decision to live in the UK after his retirement.
He has certainly prospered financially. He built up a formidable list of directorships, becoming vice-chairman of the international bankers Lehman Brothers in 1996. He is also director of the public relations firm, Shandwick, the communications giant, Cable & Wireless, British Airways, GEC and the Chubb Corporation.
He is a trustee of the National Gallery and of the Royal Academy. He is also a director of Conrad Black's Telegraph Group, which yesterday began serialising his memoirs.