Even while an active businessman, Annenberg had an interest in public service. In 1953 he became one of the founding trustees of Eisenhower Fellowships. After Richard M. Nixon was elected President, he appointed Annenberg as ambassador to the Court of St James's in the UK. In 1969, under pressure after the Shapp controversy, Annenberg sold "The Inquirer" and the "Philadelphia Daily News", which he bought in 1957, to Knight Newspapers for $55 million. After being appointed as ambassador, he became quite popular in Britain, being made an Honorary Bencher of the Middle Temple on 26 November 1969 and an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1976.