UK Government Appoints Dame Antonia Romeo as First Woman Cabinet Secretary
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer appoints Dame Antonia Romeo as Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, marking the first time a woman has held the role.
Punita Thakur 
UK Government Appoints Dame Antonia Romeo as First Woman Cabinet Secretary
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed Dame Antonia Romeo as Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, marking a historic moment in British governance. Romeo becomes the first woman to hold the role in the more than 100‑year history of the position, placing her at the very top of the United Kingdom’s administrative system. The Cabinet Secretary is the most senior civil servant in the country and plays a crucial role in coordinating government departments, advising the Prime Minister, and ensuring the effective functioning of the civil service.
Who Is Dame Antonia Romeo?
Dame Antonia Romeo is widely regarded as one of the most experienced figures within the British civil service. Over a career spanning more than two decades, she has held senior leadership positions across several major government departments.
Before taking on her new role, Romeo served as Permanent Secretary at the Home Office, where she oversaw areas including national security, immigration, border control, and public safety.
Her responsibilities also included implementing reforms aimed at improving policing systems and strengthening national security frameworks. Romeo joined the civil service in 2000 after an earlier career in the private sector. Since then, she has steadily moved through the ranks, building a reputation for delivering large‑scale organisational change and managing complex government structures.
Throughout her career, she has worked at the Department for International Trade, the Ministry of Justice, and other key government institutions. Her leadership has often focused on economic policy, justice reforms, and strengthening international trade operations. These roles have provided her with broad administrative experience that many analysts say makes her well suited for one of the most demanding positions in the UK government.
