Philippa Karsera

Philippa Karsera (; born 24 February 1977) is a Cypriot diplomat who has been the first lady of Cyprus since 2023 as the wife of Nikos Christodoulides, the president of Cyprus.

Early life Karsera was born on 24 February 1977 in Limassol, Cyprus. She obtained a degree in Political Science and International and European Studies from Panteion University and a master's degree in War Studies from King's College London, and a degree in law from the University of Cyprus in 2021.

As First Lady, she chaired the Independent Social Support Agency until she was forced to resign in January 2026 following corruption allegations and what she called "unrelenting attack" against her, causing a political scandal. She also chairs the Radio Marathon Management Committee. Karsera accompanied her husband Christodoulides at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla on 6 May 2023 and was among the guests at the wedding of Hussein, crown prince of Jordan that took place on 1 June 2023, representing herself alone Cyprus.

In September 2023 she travelled to New York during the UNGA, visiting the National September 11 Memorial & Museum where she laid flowers and visited a Greek Orthodox school and had a meeting with the Cyprus Children's Fund board. She attended the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Paris with her husband.

In July 2024, she received the certificate for achieving zero waste at the Presidential Palace.

Personal life Karsera met Christodoulides on her first day of joining the diplomatic service in 1999 and they married in 2001. The couple have four daughters.