Jill Gallard CMG CVO[1][2] is a British diplomat who served as British Ambassador to Germany from November 2020 to September 2024.[3] Previously she was the British Ambassador to Portugal, director of human resources at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and deputy political director at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.[4]
Jill Gallard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| British Ambassador to Germany | |
| In office 11 November 2020 – 4 September 2024 | |
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Sir Sebastian Wood |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Jonathan Mitchell |
| British Ambassador to Portugal | |
| In office 2011–2014 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Alexander Ellis |
| Succeeded by | Kirsty Hayes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jill Parkinson Omagh, Northern Ireland |
| Spouse | Dominic Gallard |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
Early life
editBorn in Omagh, Northern Ireland, and raised in Omagh and County Antrim, Gallard was educated at Ballyclare High School[5] and gained an MA degree in French and Spanish from the University of Edinburgh.[5]
Career
editGallard joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1991. She has served at Madrid and Prague and in various posts at the FCO,[1] including at the European Commission in Brussels.[5] She was Ambassador to Portugal from 2011 to 2014[6] and director of human resources at the FCO from 2014 to 2018.[4]
Gallard was appointed CMG in the 2018 Birthday Honours.[7]
From 2018 to 2020 she was deputy political director and director of the Western Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean at the FCO.[5]
In July 2020 Gallard was appointed Ambassador to Germany and took up the position in November.[8] She was the first ever woman to hold the position.[5] In March 2023 she received King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their first outbound state visit.[9] In honour of this she was appointed a Commander of The Royal Victorian Order in November 2023, with the appointment backdated to the date of the state visit. [10] In March 2024 it was announced that her successor would be Andrew Jonathan Mitchell from September 2024, with Gallard transferring to another posting.[11][12]
Personal life
editGallard is married and has two children. She is multilingual.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b Gallard, Jill. 1 December 2017. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U254632. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ "CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD | Honours and Awards | the Gazette".
- ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Germany: November 2020" (Press release). Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Jill Gallard". gov.uk.
- ^ a b c d e f Halliday, Gillian (20 November 2020). "NI woman Jill Gallard is UK's first female envoy to Germany". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Our Ambassador". British Embassy Lisbon. 2011. Archived from the original on 24 November 2011.
- ^ "No. 62310". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 June 2018. p. B4.
- ^ "Change of Her Majesty's Ambassador to Germany: November 2020" (Press release). GOV.UK. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "State Visit to Germany". royal.uk. 29 March 2023. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ^ "CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD | Honours and Awards | the Gazette".
- ^ "Change of His Majesty's Ambassador to Germany: Andrew Mitchell". GOV.UK. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ^ "Andrew Mitchell CMG". GOV.UK. Retrieved 20 September 2024.