It was like a tennis match with an empty umpire’s chair. On Friday, the British ambassador’s residence in Washington hosted a Wimbledon Watch Party and English Breakfast, with two giant TV screens showing the men’s semi-final. In the ballroom there were bacon and eggs, orange juice and buck’s fizz and, of course, strawberries and cream. But there was no ambassador.
Kim Darroch had left for a planned holiday a day early, officials said, after a “rough week” in which his leaked memos led to abuse from Donald Trump and his resignation, though the ambassador does intend to return for an unspecified period. The embassy considered cancelling the annual Wimbledon event but a mood of “keep calm and carry on” prevailed, not least because of Darroch’s love of tennis. » | David Smith in Washington | Saturday, July 13, 2019
