自17世紀以來，英國的傳統外交政策在女皇伊莉莎白一世時期出現轉變，開始奉行「權力平衡」外交政策（Balance of Power），維持歐陸列強間的均勢，以此憑藉強大的海軍，在海外發展貿易，維持英國的命脈，從而掀起一段屬於日不落國的輝煌歲月。在往後的歷史裡，英國面對欲一統歐陸的霸權，如拿破崙帝國與納粹德國，原則上均奉行「權力平衡」外交政策，策略上則有光榮孤立與積極干預的差異作為。惟英國在二戰後，海外殖民紛紛獨立，逐漸成為二等強國，戰後只能用三環外交來保持大國姿態，過去的地位則被美蘇兩超級強權取代，直至今日，英國的傳統權力平衡的外交政策逐漸失去傳統的原貌。 The traditional British foreign policy has changed since the rule of Queen Elizabeth I. Britain has began to pursue the ＂Balance of Power＂ strategy, which is to maintain the balance among the continental powers, thus the British could concentrate on developing oversea trade with her colonies and strengthen the Empire's comprehensive power and keep her glory. In dealing with the European hegemons, such as the Napoleonic Empire and Nazi Germany, different tactics such as splendid isolation or positive engagement were used interchangablly and had successfully deterred the hegemons. However, after the end of the World War II, almost every of Britains's oversea colonies had become independent which in turn made Britain gradually become second-rank powers. The British tried to adopt the Three Circles Diplomacy under Sir Winston Churchill to keep its glory that gradually been replaced by the United States and the Soviet Union and thus abandoned the traditional balance of power foreign policy.
