Walter Annenberg

His Excellency
Walter Annenberg
KSG KBE
Annenberg in 1982
United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
In office
April 29, 1969 – October 30, 1974
PresidentRichard Nixon
Gerald Ford
Preceded byDavid K. E. Bruce
Succeeded byElliot Richardson
Personal details
Born(1908-03-13)March 13, 1908
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedOctober 1, 2002(2002-10-01) (aged 94)
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting placeSunnylands, Rancho Mirage, California[1]
33°46′34″N 116°24′43″W / 33.776°N 116.412°W / 33.776; -116.412
Spouses
  • Veronica Dunkelman
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1938; div. 1950)​
  • ​
    (m. 1951)​
Children2, including Wallis
Parents
Relatives
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania
Awards Officier of Legion of Honour
 Presidential Medal of Freedom (1986)
 Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1976)
 Knight of Order of St. Gregory the Great
Eisenhower Medal for Leadership and Service (1988)
Linus Pauling Medal for Humanitarianism
Websiteannenberg.org

Walter Hubert Annenberg KSG KBE (March 13, 1908 – October 1, 2002) was an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and diplomat. Annenberg owned and operated Triangle Publications, which included ownership of The Philadelphia Inquirer, TV Guide, the Daily Racing Form and Seventeen magazine. He was appointed by President Richard Nixon as United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, where he served from 1969 to 1974.

During his tenure as U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom, he developed a close friendship with Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family. After initial perceived missteps,[2] he came to be admired for his dedicated work ethic, his wife's lavish entertaining, and personal gifts to support patriotic British causes, such as the restoration of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. He also paid for the renovation of Winfield House, the American ambassador's residence.

In his later years, Annenberg became one of the most prominent philanthropists in the United States.[3] He established the Annenberg Foundation in 1988, and gave over $2 billion to educational establishments and art galleries, including both the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in Los Angeles. At Sunnylands, his 220-acre (89 ha) estate near Palm Springs, California, he entertained royalty, presidents and other celebrities; it is now a museum and retreat center dedicated to furthering the Annenbergs' legacies.

  1. ^ Colacello, Bob. "Inside Sunnylands, the Haute-Moderne Annenberg Haunt of Ronald Reagan and Prince Charles". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  2. ^ Wich ones? Other than what the NYT reported? ("...at the credentialing ceremony, seen by millions as part of the British television program on the royal family, Mr. Annenberg used what the British press called “preposterous circumlocutions.” )
  3. ^ "Walter Annenberg Leaves Fortune to Family, Art Museum, and Charity", Philanthropy News Digest, October 8, 2002