Windsor Castle
June 2025
In June 2025, the Coalition for Global Prosperity convened a cross-party group of 40 Future Leaders at St George’s House, Windsor Castle for a two-day policy retreat exploring Britain’s global role at a time of growing geopolitical instability.
Set against the historic backdrop of Windsor Castle, the residential brought together aspiring parliamentarians from across the Conservative and Labour parties to examine the UK’s leadership on international development, diplomacy, and security.
Over two days of keynotes, roundtables and breakout discussions — held under Chatham House Rule — participants engaged directly with senior leaders and experts from government, defence, health, intelligence, foreign policy and development.
Together, they explored some of the defining challenges of our time:
How the UK can maintain principled global leadership in an era of great power competition
How to align aid, diplomacy and defence to deliver long-term strategic impact
How to restore public trust in leadership at home and abroad
How to make the case for development and global engagement to the public
Sessions were grounded in real-world policy experience, with a focus on thoughtful, non-partisan dialogue.
Strategy, Sacrifice and their Limits
General The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO DL, former Chief of the Defence Staff, reflected on the strategic challenges facing Britain — from Ukraine to China — and why diplomacy, development and defence must work together. He urged future leaders to embrace strategic patience and realism.
Equality, Backlash and Seeing Progress
Rt Hon Baroness Harriet Harman, former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and current UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, discussed progress on gender equality in public life, the backlash facing young women and men, and the need for a renewed UK commitment to global women’s rights.
Trust, Threats and the Future of Global Health
Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, former Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, shared lessons from the pandemic, the global threat of antimicrobial resistance, and why public trust — once lost — is hard to recover. He made a compelling case for sustained investment in global health security.
Reception in the Cloisters
Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP, former Secretary of State for Defence and International Development and Chairman of the Coalition for Global Prosperity, made the political and practical case for aid — not as charity, but as part of national resilience. She called for Britain to lead through its values and capabilities on the world stage.
Leadership in Quiet Acts
Our dinner speaker, Baroness Manningham-Buller, former Director-General of MI5, shared her reflections on leadership under pressure, the importance of empathy in public service, and the quiet strength found in simple acts of care.
Power, Principles and a Fracturing World
Sir Mark Lyall-Grant GCMG, former UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and former National Security Adviser, spoke with Penny Mordaunt about his distinguished diplomatic career, the future of multilateralism, the UK’s evolving foreign policy priorities, and the challenge of defending values in an era of great power competition.
The Value of Opposition
The Rt Hon the Lord Howard of Lympne CH KC, former Leader of the Conservative Party, spoke about the importance of conviction in politics, the evolving role of Parliament, and why good opposition leadership starts with party discipline — and ends with real change.
Aid in a 0.3% world
Professor Stefan Dercon, former Chief Economist at the Department for International Development, explored when and why aid works. Drawing on examples from Ghana, Bangladesh and Ethiopia, he explained the role of ‘elite bargains’ in development — and why good aid policy balances moral purpose with political realism.