Luis Augusto Pinto de Soveral was born in Portugal and educated at the Royal Academy and later at the universities of Oporto and Louvain before following his father's profession as a diplomat. During his career, he was appointed Portuguese Minister at the Court of St James's and he became a close friend of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and of the Royal Family. In 1895 King Carlos of Portugal instigated Soveral's appointment as Foreign Minister and he was again appointed Minister to London in 1898. Soveral was a great supporter of the Entente Cordiale between Britain and France, and accompanied King Edward on his first official visit to Paris as a member of his suite.