The diplomatic letters and papers of Lord Hardinge of Penshurst, accumulated during his years in the Diplomatic Service. They include papers from his many foreign appointments including Constantinople, Tehran, St. Petersburg, and Paris. He served as Viceroy of India 1910-16 and a large amount of correspondence relates to this period. Lord Hardinge also accompanied King Edward VII as Minister in Attendance on His Majesty's journeys abroad. The bulk of the collection consists of original holograph letters from Hardinge's friends and colleagues in ambassadorial and other posts abroad. There are also some typescript copies of Hardinge's letters. The papers also contain copies of memoranda, reports, newspaper cuttings and a variety of personal material. The collection was arranged and bound into volumes before it was aquired by the University Library. A later deposit was transferred from Kent Archives Office. Handlists of the collection are held in the Manuscripts Reading Room, including detailed lists of contents of each of the bound volumes. Part of the collection has been microfilmed. There are restrictions on the use of the items in the collection relating to the Royal Family.