Caroline Kennedy Officially Starts Her Job as U.S. Ambassador to Australia

Caroline Kennedy is beginning her second diplomatic posting as U.S. Ambassador to Australia. While she was appointed by President Biden at the end of last year and confirmed by the Senate this past May, Kennedy formally presented her credentials today to Canberra's Governor General David Hurley—which marks the official start of her job. Kennedy's arrival as U.S. Ambassador fills a post that has been vacant for the last 18 months.

"I am so excited to begin my service as United States Ambassador to Australia," Kennedy said at a press conference upon her arrival in Sydney on Friday. "There is so much excitement in D.C. about this relationship and this partnership, not only the bilateral relationship but the regional work together and really our work as global partners."

The daughter of former president John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, Kennedy said she was excited to continue her family's work in Australia. "My family legacy is something I’m really proud of, and I try to live up to and and I think the fact that it means something to people around the world makes me really proud and want to be worthy of it and do what I can to continue the values that my father would like."

As the new ambassador, Kennedy's first trip will be to travel to the Solomon Islands next month to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal. It'll be a personal moment for her, too; her father was a patrol boat captain in the Solomon Islands during World War II.

During her arrival press conference, she also spoke of her family, and recalled that she first visited Australia on her honeymoon 36 years ago with husband Edwin Schlossberg.

"Personally, this means a great deal to me," she said, "My husband is here with me. We first came to Australia on our honeymoon 36 years ago, almost exactly because yesterday was two days ago was our anniversary. And then we were fortunate to come back with our children when we were in Japan."

Kennedy previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan under President Obama; she was in office in Japan for the entirety of Obama's second term as president, from 2013 through 2017. Kennedy's son, Jack Schlossberg, recently paid tribute to assassinated Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe—and Caroline recalled how Abe surprised Jack at his 23rd birthday when they were living in Japan.

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