Jill Morris to become ambassador to Italy in summer.

Britain has appointed Jill Morris CMG the next ambassador to Rome, the first ever female diplomat in that position.

She will take up her position sometime in summer 2016. The exact date has still to be announced. Morris will take over from current ambassador Christopher Prentice who has held the post since 2011.

Morris brings with her considerable experience in EU affairs at a critical moment in the relationship of the UK.  Since joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), in 1999, she has spent three years in Brussels with the UK delegation to the EU, and more recently has been director of the Europe department at the FCO.

She has served in London as head of the consular strategy department, which works on how best to support and protect British nationals abroad.  And her career has also included the post of head of the department working on limiting the spread of nuclear armaments.

In the June 2015 Birthday Honours list, Ms Morris was awarded the coveted CMG, or Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for services to British foreign policy.

The post of ambassador to the Republic of Italy also includes the role of ambassador to the Republic of San Marino.