Mr Ambassador and Mr Smith

On June 15, Barack Obama telephoned Spains King Juan Carlos to bid him farewell and congratulate him on his reign. The US president was in California at the time, staying with his good friends James Costos and Michael Smith, respectively the US ambassador to Spain and his partner. Together from their official residence-cum-art gallery and meeting point in central Madrid, the former television industry executive and the interior decorator have brought a breath of fresh air to US diplomacy in Spain.

The reception area of the US ambassador's official residence in Madrid is dominated by four paintings: a six-meter-square work by Robert Rauschenberg; facing it is another large-format piece, by Roy Lichtenstein; off to the left is Screaming in Spanish, by another Pop Art doyen, Edward Ruscha; and opposite that is a delicate watercolor on rice paper by the reclusive Agns Martin.

The choice of works is no coincidence, nor does it respond to some kind of decorative requirement. The paintings have been chosen very carefully, and should perhaps be seen as a kind of homage to cultural fusion; very much a declaration of intent by the two men who moved in here 10 months ago.

Costos is an atypical ambassador, not just because he is gay, vegetarian, and a vocal proponent of animal rights, but also because of his background: he is a former director of US cable channel HBO, responsible for global hits such as The Sopranos and Game of Thrones. Michael Smith, his partner of some 15 years, is an internationally renowned interior decorator.

When the president asks you to join his administration, in an official capacity, the only possible answer is yes

Both men made significant financial contributions to Barack Obamas election campaign, and both know just about everybody in Hollywood: Michael Smith has decorated Cindy Crawford and Steven Spielbergs homes, while Michelle Obama tasked him with refurbishing the Oval Office in the White House. Since their arrival in the Spanish capital, an invite to their official residence has been much coveted by anybody who is anybody.

But dont be deceived into thinking that either of the pair are in any way frivolous. Like all good Americans, Costos and Smith are cordial, unpretentious hosts. They form an efficient couple. The ambassador is a political sciences graduate, and Smith an art expert. They are both from the competitive and implacable world of high-level business, where annual results leave little room for frivolity. They both take their work very seriously.

I never thought about being an ambassador,explains Costos. When the president asks you to join his administration, in an official capacity, the only possible answer is yes. Thats why I accepted: because he asked me. I had a fantastic career at HBO, and a wonderful life with Michael in California.

There is a long-established tradition in US politics of presidents rewarding the people who help finance campaigns with ambassadorial posts. And according to The New York Times, Costos and Smith raised around $3.4 million for Obama. So what has the State Departments response been to another outsider? I think that it is precisely because of this mix of profiles that the system works so well. Career ambassadors do a fantastic job, they give their lives to their work. Michael and I are not from the world of diplomacy, but this task is also about attitude. It is about building relationships, about working together, and about reaching mutually beneficial agreements.

Both know Spain well, and have visited several times in recent years. That said, Costos arrival came at a difficult time, shortly after Edward Snowdens revelations about the mass spying carried out by the National Security Agency (NSA). In October 2013, Costos was summoned to the Spanish Foreign Ministry to provide an explanation. Not an easy start for somebody with no formal diplomatic experience, I point out.

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Mr Ambassador and Mr Smith