Christian Turner
OfficeBritish Ambassador to the United States
MonarchCharles III
Prime ministerSir Keir Starmer
Term start2 February 2026[1]
PredecessorPeter Mandelson
Office 1Political Director of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Term start 1January 2023
Term end 1September 2025
Prime minister 1Rishi Sunak
Keir Starmer
Predecessor 1Tim Barrow
Successor 1Edward Llewellyn, Baron Llewellyn of Steep
Office 2British High Commissioner to Pakistan
Term start 21 December 2019
Term end 2January 2023
Monarch 2
Prime minister 2
Predecessor 2Thomas Drew
Office 3Deputy National Security Adviser and Prime Minister's Adviser on International Affairs
Prime minister 3Theresa May
Term start 3April 2017
Term end 3July 2019
Predecessor 3General Sir Gwyn Jenkins (Deputy National Security Adviser for Conflict, Stability and Defence)
Successor 3Sir David Quarrey
Office 4British High Commissioner to Kenya
Term start 42012
Term end 42015
Monarch 4Elizabeth II
Prime minister 4David Cameron
Predecessor 4Robert Macaire
Successor 4Nic Hailey
Birth nameChristian Philip Hollier Turner
Birth date19 August 1972 (age 54)
EducationMarlborough College
Alma materUniversity of Manchester (BA)
University of York (PhD)
SpouseClaire Turner
Honorific prefixHis Excellency Sir

Sir Christian Philip Hollier Turner, (born 19 August 1972) is a British diplomat who has served as the British ambassador to the United States since February 2026, following the dismissal of Peter Mandelson.[2][3]

He previously served as Political Director of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office from January 2023 to September 2025 and is a Visiting Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford.[4] He was the British High Commissioner to Pakistan from 2019 to 2023, and had been expected to take up the role of British ambassador to the United Nations in 2026, before his appointment to Washington was announced.[5][6][7]

Early life

Turner was educated at Marlborough College and graduated with a BA degree in English language and literature from the University of Manchester. He was a Career Tutor at the University of York from 1996 to 1998, when he graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy in medieval English and related literature.[5][8]

Career

After working as a researcher for Videotext Communications in 1998, Turner joined the Cabinet Office that year and was Secretary to the Better Regulation Taskforce, 1998–1999, then Secretary to the Economic and Domestic Committees of the Cabinet, 1999–2000. After serving as Private Secretary to a Minister of State, 2001–2002, Turner was Deputy Team Leader in the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, 2002–2003, and First Secretary at the British Embassy in Washington, DC, 2003–2006, joining the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 2005.[5] On his return to Whitehall, he served as Private Secretary to Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2007; and as Director Middle East and North Africa, 2009–2012 during the Arab Spring.[7][9]

Turner served as High Commissioner to Kenya from 2012 to 2015.[10][11] During his time in Kenya he led the UK response to the Westgate Mall terrorist attack[12] and the UK's reconciliation with the Mau Mau.[13][14]

On his return to the UK in 2016 Turner led the London Syria Conference for No 10, raising $12 billion for Syrian refugees.[15] In 2016 he became Director General for the Middle East and Africa and then acting Political Director General. From 2017 to 2019 he served as Prime Minister Theresa May's international affairs advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor.[16] In this role he was also senior responsible owner for the £1.25 billion Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.[17]

Turner served as High Commissioner to Pakistan from 2019 to 2023[18] before becoming Political Director of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. In May 2025 it was announced that he would succeed Dame Barbara Woodward as British ambassador to the United Nations.[7] Subsequently it was revealed that he was also under consideration for nomination as Britain's ambassador to the United States following the dismissal of Peter Mandelson amid the scandal surrounding his ties to Jeffrey Epstein,[19] alongside a number of other candidates including Mark Sedwill, Richard Moore and Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby.[20] In December 2025 Turner was appointed as Ambassador by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.[2] He took up the post on 2 February 2026 after presenting his credentials to the Department of State.[1][21]

In April 2026, remarks made by Turner in February 2026 during an event in Washington, D.C. addressed to British students were made public; these included comments on Starmer being "on the ropes" over the Mandelson scandal, criticising the lack of response to the Epstein files in the US (as compared to the UK), and criticising the "special relationship" as a "nostalgic" and "backwards-looking" term when applied to US-UK relations, saying that the one country with a real "special relationship" with the US was Israel (this was said shortly before the US-Israeli strikes on Iran that led to the 2026 Iran war). The Foreign Office clarified that these were private, informal comments and not the UK government's official position.[22][23]

Honours

Turner was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2012 New Year Honours,[24] and promoted to Knight Commander of the same Order (KCMG) in the 2026 New Year Honours.[25][26] He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on 30 April 2026 following the King's state visit to the United States that month.[27]

Personal life

In October 2002, Turner and Claire J. Barber announced their engagement.[28] They were married in 2003 and have two children,[5] both of whom were born in Washington DC while their parents were working at the British embassy there early in the 21st century.[29]

References

  1. ^ "Change of His Majesty's Ambassador to the United States of America: Sir Christian Turner KCMG". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  2. ^ The Guardian, "Starmer appoints career diplomat Christian Turner as US ambassador", 18 December 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  3. ^ UK Government, "Dr Christian Turner CMG appointed as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the United States of America ", 18 December 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  4. ^ "Christian Turner | Blavatnik School of Government". www.bsg.ox.ac.uk. 2025-11-17. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  5. ^
  6. ^ "Change of British High Commissioner to Pakistan: Dr Christian Turner CMG". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  7. ^ "Dr Christian Turner CMG". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  8. ^ "BBC Radio 4 - Profile, Sir Christian Turner". BBC. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  9. ^ "British foreign policy and the 'Arab Spring': the transition to democracy (8th December 2011)". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  10. ^ "Change of British High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  11. ^ ""Life as high commissioner to Kenya has been exciting, rewarding and never dull – it is exactly why I joined public service": diplomat Christian Tu...". Civil Service World. 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  12. ^ Nation Breaking News (22 September 2013). "British High Commissioner to Kenya Dr Christian Turner donates blood at #Kencom #WeAreOne #Westgate". No. 381757684313108481.
  13. ^ "Mau Mau torture victims to receive compensation – Hague". BBC News. 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  14. ^ "Kenya Mau Mau memorial funded by UK unveiled". BBC News. 2015-09-12. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  15. ^ "About". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  16. ^ Turner, Christian (13 April 2017). "A busy first week as Deputy National Security Adviser; farewell to @LyallGrant looking forward to working with @marksedwill". No. 852614206067269633.
  17. ^ CSSF Annual Report 2018/2019 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/818585/CSSF-Annual-Report-2018-to-2019.pdf
  18. ^ "Change of British High Commissioner to Pakistan: Dr Christian Turner CMG". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  19. ^ The Guardian, "Starmer to pick new US ambassador as relations with Trump tested", 13 December 2025. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  20. ^ Balls, David Charter, Washington | Katy (2025-09-11). "Who is in the running to replace Peter Mandelson as US ambassador?". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  21. ^ "Public Schedule – February 2, 2026". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  22. ^ Fisher, Lucy (28 April 2026). "America's special relationship is 'probably Israel', says UK ambassador to US". Financial Times. Archived 28 April 2026 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  23. ^ Devlin, Kate (28 April 2026). "Starmer's premiership 'on the ropes', says US ambassador in leaked recording". The Independent. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  24. ^ No. 60009. 31 December 2011. p. 3.
  25. ^ "New Year Honours List 2026". Gov.uk. His Majesty's Government. 2025-12-29. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  26. ^ No. 64940. 30 December 2025. p. N3.
  27. ^ "Honours and Awards". The London Gazette. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  28. ^ "Dr Christian P. H. Turner and Miss Claire J. Barber", in "Forthcoming Marriages", The Times, 19 October 2002
  29. ^ Katy Balls, "Britain’s new ambassador to US makes bright start in Mandelson’s shadow", The Times, February 24, 2026, accessed 3 March 2026, (subscription required)