17th July 2025
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
15th July 2025
International Day of Women in Diplomacy: UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls visit to Geneva
1st May 2025
The UN Commission on the Status of Women: My first visit as UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls
21st April 2015 Budapest, Hungary
My identity – My freedom
Romani Design Fashion Show on the International Roma Day Guest Blog by Szilvia Suri, President of the Hungarian Roma Press Center. Our vision in the Roma Press Center is that one day Hungarian Roma will be regarded equal, valuable members of our society, even though everyday struggles remind us that we still have a long […]
21st April 2015 Paris, France
The modern diplomat
In this guest blog, Deputy Head of Mission Kara Owen discusses what it is to be a modern diplomat, after a talk at the Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) in Paris.
20th April 2015 London, UK
We will remember them
Later this month we will all commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canakkale or Gallipoli campaign. It will be a magnificent occasion with many heads of state from around the world attending at President Erdogan’s invitation. HRH The Prince of Wales will represent HM The Queen and he will be accompanied by HRH Prince Harry and […]
14th April 2015 Canberra, Australia
G’day Australia!
It’s great to arrive in Australia to take up the role of British High Commissioner. I feel honoured to have been appointed to the role, and look forward to getting stuck in. A bit about me. You can see my bio here, but in short I’m a career diplomat – and a mum. I’m here with […]
13th April 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Nuns, the Church and Society
Stereotypical images tend to come to mind, at least the non-Catholic British mind, when we think of nuns. We think of Julie Andrews and The Sound of Music. Perhaps Sister Wendy Beckett delivering art lectures. We might just stretch to Mother Teresa in the slums of Calcutta. Like most stereotypes, such images are both unhelpful […]
10th April 2015 Canberra, Australia
RIP Richie Benaud
The voices of my childhood spoke in an Australian accent. I was born in London to Australian parents, whose Sydney twang was much imitated by school friends, more used to west London’s downward inflection. When I wasn’t listening to mum and dad I was watching cricket, and the voice of cricket was Richie Benaud. Of […]
4th April 2015 Colombo, Sri Lanka
Treading carefully
To mark Mine Awareness and Action Day, I asked our partners HALO Trust to write about their work in Sri Lanka. “The HALO Trust is the world’s largest and oldest humanitarian demining organisation, with staff in 17 counties and territories around the world. Our core activity is clearing mine-contaminated land needed for housing, agriculture and […]
2nd April 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Happy Easter
You won’t be surprised to hear that Easter is a busy time of year at the Holy See. The Pope has a full schedule of engagements that take him through the solemnities of Holy Week to the great festivity of Easter Sunday and the Easter period beyond. Pope Francis will be applying his own particular […]
31st March 2015 Asuncion, Paraguay
Grandes artistas británicos invaden Asunción
Durante las últimas semanas, Asunción ha visto “lo mejor de la música británica” como nunca antes. Cantantes de la talla del legendario Robert Plant, Joss Stone y James Blunt brindaron sus primeros conciertos en Paraguay, así como los grupos The Kooks, Kasabian, Alt-J y Bastille. El festival musical Asunciónico, un evento de extravagancia musical de […]
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31st March 2015 Asuncion, Paraguay
Great British Music hits Asunción
The last few weeks has seen the ‘Best of British’ music on display in Asunción as never before. Singers Joss Stone, James Blunt and the legendary Robert Plant performed for the first time in Paraguay; as did bands like The Kooks, Kasabian, Alt-J and Bastille. The Asunciónico music festival – a fantastic two-day extravaganza – […]