About Maris King
Lived 1922 – 1997 (aged 74–75). Maris King was a diplomat.
Maris Estelle King (1922–1997) was an Australian public servant and diplomat.
King began her Commonwealth Public Service career in 1942 as a typist in the Department of External Affairs. In 1943, King was posted to Chongqing, China. She was the first clerical officer that the Australian Government had sent abroad. From 1951 to 1954, whilst still an external affairs officer, King studied arts at the Canberra University College. She performed consistently well in her exams, including topping the Melbourne University examination class list in economics from 1952 to 1954.
King went on to become the second woman to head an Australian diplomatic mission, as Australian High Commissioner to Nauru from 1977 to 1979. In 1980 she was appointed Australia's first resident High Commissioner to Tonga. She arrived in May 1980, and was living in Nuku'alofa when Cyclone Isaac ravaged Tonga. No Australians were killed or injured in the storms.
King retired in 1984.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Maris King's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Maris King?
Australian diplomat
When was Maris King born?
Maris King was born in 1922.
When did Maris King die?
Maris King died in 1997.
What was Maris King's occupation?
Maris King was a diplomat.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Maris King. https://biography.guide/maris-king/
MLA: "Maris King." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/maris-king/.
Chicago: "Maris King." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/maris-king/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:21 UTC