Britain is on the cusp of a historic shift at the heart of its civil service, as Dame Antonia Romeo is poised to become the country’s first female Cabinet Secretary. The move comes amid a whirlwind of departures and political turbulence in Downing Street, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer orchestrating a significant shake-up of his senior team. According to reports from The Telegraph and The Standard, the imminent appointment of Dame Antonia marks a pivotal moment—not just for gender representation at the highest levels of government, but also for the future direction of the British civil service.
The decision to replace Sir Chris Wormald, who has served as Cabinet Secretary for just over a year, follows a series of high-profile resignations. In the span of a single week, both Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, and Tim Allan, director of communications, stepped down. Sir Chris’s own exit, reported on February 10 and 11, 2026, makes him the shortest-serving Cabinet Secretary in the 100-year history of the role, as noted by The Mail. He is expected to receive a substantial payoff—estimated at £250,000—on top of a taxpayer-funded pension worth £2.5 million.
The circumstances surrounding Sir Chris’s departure have been the subject of intense scrutiny. Some within No 10 saw him as “the embodiment of Whitehall groupthink,” a sentiment echoed in repeated negative briefings, according to The Telegraph. Critics argued that he failed to deliver on promised reforms, while supporters, such as former Conservative Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove, called the briefings against him “a disgrace.” Gove described Sir Chris as “a dedicated public servant who executed a coherent reform programme.”
Into this charged atmosphere steps Dame Antonia Romeo, a figure both praised and criticized for her approach and beliefs. At 51, she brings a wealth of experience, having served in the civil service since 2000. Her career has spanned top roles in the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, and Department for International Trade. She has also worked closely with former Prime Minister Liz Truss and was considered for the Treasury’s top civil service job after the infamous mini-budget of 2022.
Dame Antonia’s reputation as a disruptor precedes her. She has been dubbed the “Queen of Woke” by segments of the press for her outspoken advocacy of progressive causes. As the civil service’s gender inclusion champion since 2019, she has written candidly about breaking taboos, such as menopause in the workplace, and has asserted that diversity and inclusion are “absolutely crucial” for Whitehall. She expressed pride when one of her former departments was praised by Stonewall for its inclusivity toward trans staff, according to The Mail and The Standard.
Her supporters argue that she is “the obvious and outstanding candidate” to rewire the state, as a government source told The Standard. They point to her recent overhaul of the Home Office’s senior management structure and her decisive handling of the small boats crisis—an issue that reportedly impressed Prime Minister Starmer and helped cement her candidacy. Both she and Starmer share a passion for Arsenal, a detail that may seem minor but reportedly helped foster rapport between them.
Yet Dame Antonia’s career has not been without controversy. While serving as British Consul General in New York in 2017, she was investigated over allegations of bullying, harassment, discrimination, and misuse of expenses. Specific complaints included extravagant spending on business class flights, flowers for high-profile friends, and £30,000 worth of paint and furnishings for her official residence. She was also accused of allowing her husband’s firm to use the taxpayer-owned property for work events and of threatening junior staff who raised objections. However, the Cabinet Office, after a thorough investigation, cleared her of any wrongdoing, stating, “These allegations were made some time ago, were thoroughly investigated and were dismissed on the basis there was no case to answer.”
Some of her allies have characterized the criticisms as having “a whiff of misogyny,” according to Dave Penman, general secretary of the civil servants’ union, as reported in The Telegraph. Despite the controversy, Dame Antonia was promoted to permanent secretary at the Department for International Trade just weeks after the investigation concluded.
Dame Antonia’s career trajectory has seen her twice previously come close to the Cabinet Secretary post—first losing out to Simon Case in 2020, then to Chris Wormald just over a year ago. This time, the process has drawn criticism for its lack of openness; Prime Minister Starmer reportedly intends to appoint her without an open competition because she was deemed suitable during the last selection process, according to The BBC. Lord McDonald, the former Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Office, emphasized the importance of due diligence in such a high-stakes appointment.
Her academic credentials are equally impressive: she studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University and earned an MSc in economics from the London School of Economics. A mother of three, Dame Antonia has balanced her demanding public service career with family life—a fact that has not gone unnoticed in discussions about her historic appointment.
The broader context of Dame Antonia’s rise is one of upheaval and uncertainty in Downing Street. The departures of McSweeney and Allan, coupled with the shake-up at the very top of the civil service, have raised questions about the stability of Starmer’s administration. National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, despite being blamed for some of Starmer’s least popular policies—including the Chagos Islands deal and approaches to China—remains in post, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing reorganization.
Not everyone is convinced that the shake-up will benefit the public. John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, cautioned, “Chopping and changing at the top of the Civil Service will do no good for taxpayers unless they bring in someone who really cares about results. Too many senior mandarins care more about what’s best for the Civil Service, not what’s best for the country.”
Other potential candidates for the Cabinet Secretary role, such as Sir Olly Robbins, were reportedly sidelined due to concerns about their involvement in sensitive vetting processes, notably around Lord Mandelson’s ambassadorial appointment.
As Dame Antonia prepares to step into her new role, she faces the dual challenge of restoring stability to a government in flux and delivering the reforms that many in No 10 believe are urgently needed. Her supporters see her as a disruptor who “gets things done,” while her critics warn of further turmoil. Whatever the outcome, her appointment marks a significant milestone in British public life—a moment that reflects both the evolving face of the civil service and the turbulent politics of 2026.