Alyson King

Alyson Ruth Grace King (born 2 January 1976) is a British diplomat, lawyer and academic administrator who has served as the British Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo since April 2023, and is ex officio non-resident Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. She is the Principal-elect of Brasenose College, Oxford, due to take up the appointment in October 2026. She will be the first woman to hold the position of Principal since the college's foundation in 1509.

Early life and education

King grew up in Scotland. She later earned a further Master of Laws in EU law by distance learning from King's College London in 2009.

In January 2026, it was announced that Zoë Ware would succeed King as Ambassador in May 2026.

Principal of Brasenose College, Oxford

On 12 March 2026, Brasenose College, Oxford announced that King had been elected as its next Principal, succeeding the retiring John Bowers KC, who has held the post since 2015. She is a marathon runner, having participated in the Congo River Marathon in Kinshasa. In addition to English, she speaks French, Spanish and Arabic.