Margaret Irene Rothwell CMG (25 August 1938– 15 September 2022) was a British diplomat.[1] [2]
Born in Edinburgh to Harry Rothwell and Martha (née Goedecke), her mother was Germany.[3] During World War II, Rothwell and her mother were evacuated to a farm in the hills until the birth of her sister in 1945.[3] The family later relocated to Southampton when her father became head of the history faculty at Southampton University, and Rothwell attended Southampton Grammar School.[3]
In 1957, Rothwell entered the Home Civil Service Fast Stream after studying classics at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.[3] Her diplomatic assignments included positions in Strasbourg with the UK Delegation to the Council of Europe, Kenya, Washington, D.C., and Finland.[3] In 1990, she was appointed ambassador to Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Liberia.[3]
Rothwell worked to expand opportunities for female officers within the Foreign Office, including supporting Arabic language training for women, which facilitated their placement in Middle Eastern postings.[3] She continued her involvement with the Foreign Office Association after retirement, serving as editor of its newspaper.[3]
Rothwell remained unmarried.[3] She retired to Hampshire and remained active in her community until her passing in 2022.[3]