Dr Diana Owen, Director-General of the Royal Over-Seas League, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to culture and tourism.

Diana joined the Royal Over-Seas League in December 2017, a not-for-profit members organisation which promotes the arts and education to its 16,000 members throughout the UK, Commonwealth, and wider world. This is expressed most vividly through ROSL’s Annual Music Competition, which has been supporting young classical musicians for 66 years.

This role is the culmination of a career in the culture and heritage sectors for Diana, first at the National Trust from 1988-2007, with responsibility for properties across South East England, followed by a decade spent as the Chief Executive Officer of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon, greatly increasing its profile and leading the organisation through the celebrations for the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth in 2016. 

Speaking ahead of her investiture, Diana said, “I am delighted to receive this honour.  Throughout my career it has been a real privilege to work with fantastic colleagues and teams who do so much to conserve and develop our heritage and culture.  This award is as much for their efforts as for mine and I hope they will share my pleasure in it.”

Lord Luce, President of ROSL, said: “As members of the Royal Over-Seas League we are all delighted by the news that our new Director-General, Dr Diana Owen, has been awarded an OBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours. I send her my warmest congratulations. All Diana’s past experience will bring great benefit to the Royal Over-Seas League as we develop further our cultural ambitions, not least in music and the Commonwealth.”

ENDS

Notes to the Editor

Founded in 1910, the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) is a not-for-profit private members' club dedicated to championing international friendship and understanding, based in St James’s Street, London.

ROSL ARTS supports talented young artists and musicians from the UK and Commonwealth, providing performance and exhibition opportunities which bring their work to the attention of the professional arts community, media and general public.

ROSL is an officially recognised Commonwealth NGO.

Membership has been open to men and women on equal terms since 1910 and today we are proud of our equal male/female membership ratio.

ROSL Education projects Himba students become teachers; support San communities in the Kalahari; develop enterprise projects in the Okavango; and fund school bursaries in Kenya, among others.

ROSL's headquarters are in the London clubhouse; comprising 83 bedrooms, private garden and terrace with views of Green Park, restaurant, brasserie and bar (with al fresco dining in summer), drawing room and seven conference and private dining rooms.

Patron: Her Majesty The Queen, Vice Patron Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra KG GCVO

For more information about ROSL contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Director of Marketing.