An exceptionally rare 1814 Passport signed by the Duke of Wellington as British Ambassador to France, printed on laid paper with "van der Ley" watermark. Applied with Duke of Wellington's large red wax seal. Signed 'Wellington' lower right. Dated "Paris, 27 Août 1814". Made out to a "Monsieur Kyle" and valied for travel between London and Dieppe. 41.5 cm x 26.5 cm. Exhibited:- Sir John Soane's Museum 2014 (see Cat 5.1 (illustrated)); The Hôtel de Charost Bicentenary Symposium, Paris, September 2014; "200 Objects of Waterloo" (Waterloo 200) Online Exhibition, 2015. Note:- Wellington only served as the British Ambassador to France for a few months and spent much of his official tenure attending the Congress of Vienna. He was then called away to lead the Allied armies during the "Hundred Days" culminating with The Battle Waterloo. He never to return to his ambassadorial duties. During his brief time in Paris he acquired the Hôtel de Charost as official residence of the British Ambassador, which remains so to this day. He officially took up his post on 22nd August 1814 and this passport dates from his first days in the office. Passports signed by Wellington are vanishingly rare.