Consular Conversations OTP: United Kingdom
January 28, 2026
Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
Despite a testy week in transatlantic relations, attendees at Global Atlanta‘s late-January Consular Conversation with British Consul General Rachel Galloway came away with an up-close view of how the vaunted “Special Relationship,” when calibrated correctly, can lead to shared prosperity on both sides of the pond.
See the full Global Atlanta story here: Football, Fintech and a Trillion in Trade: British Consul General on Why It’s Vital to Safeguard the ‘Special Relationship’
Presented by Miller & Martin PLLC and hosted by the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, interview amounted to a master class on diplomacy from the former British ambassador to North Macedonia. She forcefully praised NATO, saying it was an affront to allies to
Walking through her own career in far-flung conflict zones, Ms. Galloway gave an unvarnished view of both the frustrations (and the necessity) of searching for international consensus on sometimes-intractable global problems.
She also underscored the importance of NATO at a time when the U.S. is seen as questioning the alliance, and affirmed the allies’ unity on issues of economic and supply chain resiliency even as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was en route to China.
Approaching the 250th anniversary of American independence, the U.K. harbors no nostalgia, she said, netting some laughs from nearly 100 guests in attendance at the sixth OTP edition of the series. The relationship has improved quite a bit since the U.K. opened its first consulate in Savannah in the early 1800s.
“It’s a real opportunity to look back and say that the things that kind of divided us 250 years ago — freedom, liberty — are actually the things that we together work on around the world. So we sell it as the greatest reconciliation in history.”
The Manchester native and avid football fan also talked about how soccer fluency has grown in the U.S. since her appointment in Washington 20 years ago.
Back then, the cab drivers were mum when they heard her accent. Today? They want her to indulge in Man City vs. Man United debates.
British football (and the sports tech niche that the U.K. has carve out) have made an impact in Atlanta, with the Premier League’s summer series bringing international contests that have contributed to the city’s emergence as a global soccer center.
Ms. Galloway and her team are looking forward to the spotlight that this year’s FIFA World Cup will bring to the Southeast via Atlanta, with eight matches set to take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That includes matches in the round of 32 and a semifinal, both of which could feature England — if all goes well.