WASHINGTON, May 20: A high-flying diplomat in Washington, who stood in as interim ambassador after Peter Mandelson was sacked, has abruptly left his post.
No explanation has yet officially been given for the departure of James Roscoe, who had served as deputy head of mission at the British Embassy since 2022.
He was among those tipped for the top job after the removal of Mandelson over his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
However, the plum posting ultimately went to Christian Turner.
As charge d’affaires to the US, Roscoe played a key role in US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK last September.
More recently, as second in command at the embassy, he was involved in Britain King Charles III’s recent US state visit to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Before moving to Washington, he was the UK ambassador to the United Nations and previously served as communications chief to the late Queen Elizabeth II.
He had also been chief press officer in Downing Street for UK prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Roscoe’s earlier diplomatic postings included the UN, Sierra Leone and Iraq.
In a brief statement, a UK Foreign Office spokesman said: “James Roscoe has left his post.”
–BERNAMA-PA MEDIA/dpa