Dame Karen Elizabeth Pierce, Lady Roxburgh, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|sep=,|DCMG}} (born 23 September 1959), is a British diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States from March 2020 to February 2025.{{Cite web |title=UK Names First Woman US Ambassador |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51413307 |date=7 February 2020 |access-date=7 February 2020 |publisher=BBC}}

She was previously the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations from 2018 to 2020 and the British Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2015 to 2016. She was the first woman appointed to the United States and United Nations roles, and the second in the Afghanistan role.{{cite news |title=Birthdays |work=The Guardian |pages=41 |date=23 September 2014}}{{cite web |last=Wintour |first=Patrick |author-link=Patrick Wintour |date=27 November 2017 |title=Karen Pierce becomes first female UK ambassador to the UN |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/27/karen-pierce-first-female-uk-ambassador-to-un |access-date=3 May 2018}}

Early life and education

Pierce was born in Preston, Lancashire, where her grandparents were mill workers.{{Cite web |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/karen-pierce-who-is-explained-uk-ambassador-us-international-relations-395478 |title=Meet Karen Pierce, the first woman to become the UK's ambassador to the US |first=Richard |last=Vaughan |date=7 February 2020 |website=inews.co.uk |access-date=6 March 2022 |url-access=subscription}} Her father was an architectural draughtsman, and her mother was a secretary.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/meet-karen-pierce-britains-fiercely-intelligent-flamboyant-first/ Daily Telegraph, "Meet Karen Pierce: Britain's fiercely intelligent, flamboyant first female Ambassador to the United States"], 8 February 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2024.

After attending Penwortham Girls' High School, a grammar school in Lancashire, she continued her studies at Girton College, Cambridge, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English. In 2012 she was awarded a Master of Science in international strategy and diplomacy from the London School of Economics.{{cite web|url=https://www.passblue.com/2019/06/12/call-me-dame-karen-uks-ambassador-dashes-style-with-diplomacy/|title=Call Me Dame Karen: UK's Ambassador Dashes Style With Diplomacy|first=Laura E.|last=Kirkpatrick|publisher=PassBlue|date=12 June 2019|access-date=6 March 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lse.ac.uk/News/Latest-news-from-LSE/2020/b-Feb-20/Dame-Karen-Pierce-new-UK-Ambassador-to-US|title=LSE alumna to be UK's first female US Ambassador|publisher=The London School of Economics and Science|date=7 February 2020|access-date=6 March 2020}}

Career

File:FDR Memorial Anniversary - 52103996900.jpg anniversary in Washington, D.C., in 2022]]

File:Barbie Movie Reception (cropped2).jpg at an event for Barbie in 2023]]

Pierce joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1981, inspired by Margaret Thatcher's victory in the 1979 general election, which demonstrated to Pierce that women could "reach the top". After studying Japanese, she was posted to Tokyo in 1984. In 1987 she returned to London and joined the FCO's Security Policy Department. From 1992 to 1995 she worked in Washington, D.C., as Private Secretary to the British Ambassador to the United States, Robin Renwick. She held various positions at the FCO between 1996 and 2000, including Team Leader for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova (1996−1997), Deputy Head of the Eastern Adriatic (Balkans) Department (1997−1999) and Head of the FCO Newsroom (1999−2000).{{cite web|title=Change of UK's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation in Geneva|url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=PressR&id=640193382|publisher=Foreign and Commonwealth Office|access-date=1 July 2012|date=5 August 2011}}

From 2006 to 2009 Pierce was the UK's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. In this capacity, she acted as the President of the UN Security Council in April 2007 and in May 2008. From 2009 to 2012, she was Director for South Asia and Afghanistan at the FCO, acting as the UK Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan from June 2010 to June 2011.[http://www.gov.uk/government/people/karen-pierce Karen Pierce CMG], gov.uk.

From 2012 to 2015 Pierce was posted to Geneva as the UK's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations there. From May 2015 to February 2016 she was the British Ambassador to Afghanistan, the second woman to serve in that role.{{cite press release |title=New UK Ambassador to Afghanistan Presents Letter of Credence to President Ghani |publisher=Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan |date=26 May 2015 |url=http://president.gov.af/en/news/46954 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715175845/https://president.gov.af/en/news/46954 |archive-date=15 July 2015}} Until early 2018, she served as the FCO's Director General Political.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

In March 2018 Pierce became the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations in New York,{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/bio5076.doc.htm|title=New Permanent Representative of United Kingdom Presents Credentials - Meetings Coverage and Press Releases|website=www.un.org|access-date=18 April 2018}} the first woman to take on the role.Elizabeth Piper (27 November 2017), [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-un-appointment/britain-appoints-first-woman-as-permanent-secretary-to-u-n-idUSKBN1DR1UB Britain appoints first woman as permanent secretary to U.N.] Reuters. During this time, Britain coordinated the Security Council's activities on Myanmar.Michelle Nichols (24 October 2018), [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-rohingya-un/china-fails-to-stop-u-n-security-council-myanmar-briefing-idUSKCN1MY2QU China fails to stop U.N. Security Council Myanmar briefing] Reuters.

In 2020 Pierce moved to Washington, D.C., after being appointed as Britain's first female ambassador to the United States.{{cite news|title= UK names first woman US ambassador|date=7 February 2020|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51413307|publisher=BBC News|access-date=7 February 2020}} On 7 November 2024, following the 2024 United States presidential election, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, announced that Pierce was doing "an excellent job" as ambassador, with the "full confidence of the British government", and would remain in Washington until after Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025.[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/nov/07/uk-us-ambassador-karen-pierce-stay-in-post-trump-transition The Guardian, "UK will ask US ambassador Karen Pierce to stay in post for Trump transition"], 7 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024. Pierce is considered broadly popular across the political spectrum in the United States, with senior Republican campaign adviser Chris LaCivita, the co-campaign manager during Donald Trump's victorious 2024 presidential campaign, describing her as "professional universally-respected" and bemoaning her replacement.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyx9kplge8o

Known for her flamboyance and colourful outfits, Pierce has made regular appearances on Fox News and other US media.

On 20 December 2024 Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the appointment of Lord Mandelson to be the next British Ambassador to the United States of America. He took up the position on 10 February 2025.{{Cite tweet |author=British Embassy Washington |user=UKinUSA |number=1889078275000910050 |title=After an historic ceremony in DC, Peter Mandelson is officially His Majesty’s Ambassador to the US!}}

Personal life

Pierce is married to Sir Charles Roxburgh, whom she met at the University of Cambridge and with whom she has two sons.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/charles-roxburgh|title=Charles Roxburgh - GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk}}[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U43012 PIERCE, Karen Elizabeth, (Mrs C. F. Roxburgh)], Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014. Roxburgh was Second Permanent Secretary of the UK Treasury from 2016 until 2022, when he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, at which point Pierce became Lady Roxburgh, although she does not use the title professionally.{{London Gazette|issue=63714|supp=y|page=B3|date=1 June 2022}}

Honours

Pierce was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (DCMG) in the 2018 Birthday Honours.{{cite tweet |number=1095720812051685376|user=UKUN_NewYork|date=13 February 2019|title=Formal investiture of Dame Karen Pierce today at Buckingham Palace. Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal has bestowed the honour of Dame Commander of St Michael and St George upon @KarenPierceUN in recognition of her long-term outstanding contribution to British foreign policy.}}