Anne Pringle
Dame Anne Pringle | |
|---|---|
 Dame Anne in April 2009 | |
| British Ambassador to Russia | |
| In office 28 March 2008 – 1 November 2011 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown David Cameron |
| Preceded by | Tony Brenton |
| Succeeded by | Tim Barrow |
| British Ambassador to the Czech Republic | |
| In office 2001–2004 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | David Broucher |
| Succeeded by | Linda Duffield |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 January 1955 (age 71) Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Alma mater | University of St Andrews |
Dame Anne Fyfe Pringle DCMG (born 13 January 1955) is a British diplomat and the former HM Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Russian Federation.[1] From 2001 to 2004, Pringle was the British ambassador to the Czech Republic.[2] She is a candidate in the 2026 University of St Andrews Chancellor election.[3]
Early life
Pringle was born in Glasgow, Scotland and attended the Glasgow High School for Girls.[4] She then studied at the University of St Andrews, graduating with a degree in French and German in 1977.[5]
Career
After graduation, she entered the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where she held various appointments to the United States, Moscow and Brussels at the European Union.[5][6] Her first senior posting was as Head of the FCO’s Common Foreign and Security Policy Department and her first ambassadorial posting was as Ambassador to the Czech Republic from 2001 to 2004.[5] She was the Ambassador to Russia from 2008 to 2011, the first woman to hold the position in its 450-year history.[6] Pringle presented her Letter of Credence to President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev on 16 January 2009.[7] Dame Anne was succeeded by Sir Tim Barrow in November 2011.[8]
In 2015, Pringle chaired an advisory panel to select the new HM Chief Inspector of Prisons. The panel, which included two active Conservative Party members (Lord Henley and Amanda Sater), unanimously recommended a single candidate after interviewing shortlisted applicants. However, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling rejected the recommendation, citing a desire for a greater choice of candidates, and ordered a full rerun of the process.[9]
Critics, including former Liberal Democrat MP Sir Alan Beith (then chair of the Commons Justice Select Committee), highlighted a lack of transparency in disclosing the panel's composition beforehand and argued that the inclusion of politically active members undermined public confidence in the process's independence.[10]
Pringle served as a director of Ashmore Group Plc from 2013 to 2021.[11]
Honours and awards
Awarded a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 2004, Pringle advanced to become a Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (DCMG) in the 2010 New Year Honours.[12] Pringle received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 2010.[6]
Between 2016 and 2020, Dame Anne was appointed as Senior Governor (now Senior Lay Member) on the Court of the University of St Andrews, and as such was the working chairperson of the University Court, and presided over meetings of the Court in the absence of the Rector.[5] She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from St Andrews in 2022.[5] She is one of four candidates in the 2026 University of St Andrews Chancellor election.[3]
References
- ^ Beeston, Richard (25 March 2009). "The quiet envoy: Anne Pringle, our woman in Moscow, mends fences". The Times.
- ^ "Our Ambassador". Embassy of the United Kingdom in Moscow. Archived from the original on 23 February 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
- ^ a b "St Andrews to elect new Chancellor | University of St Andrews news". news.st-andrews.ac.uk. University of St Andrews. 26 January 2026.
- ^ "'Whoopee! I'm a diplomat' ... says the 'rock chick' replacing our man in Moscow at the tensest time since the Cold War". The Standard. 13 April 2012.
- ^ a b c d e "Laureation address Anne Pringle - Graduation". archive.st-andrews.ac.uk. University of St Andrews. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- ^ a b c McCulloch, Scott (14 October 2010). "First ever female ambassador to Russia to be honoured by Heriot-Watt University". Insider.
- ^ "Послы иностранных государств, вручившие верительные грамоты Президенту России". Presidential Press and Information Office. 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 30 June 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
- ^ Dame Anne Pringle succeeded by Tim Barrow, fco.gov.uk; retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ Travis, Alan (19 March 2015). "Appointment of new prisons inspector halted amid criticism of selection panel". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
- ^ "House of Commons - Appointment of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons: matters of concern - Justice". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
- ^ "Anne Fyfe PRINGLE personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
- ^ "No. 59282". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2009. p. 3.