The U.S. and UK: Alliance, Adaptation, and the Path Ahead

Since World War II, the United States and the United Kingdom have maintained a close partnership grounded in shared democratic values, security cooperation, and economic ties. As global dynamics shift, how is this relationship evolving? 

King Charles III’s recent State Visit to the United States highlighted both the depth of this alliance and the need to renew it in a changing geopolitical landscape. 

 Join the World Affairs Council for a conversation with British Consul General Eleanor Kiloh and the British Embassy’s Assistant Military Attaché, Colonel Tom Archer-Burton, on the diplomatic, military, intelligence, and economic dimensions shaping one of the world’s most important strategic partnerships. 

Networking and mingling begins at 1:00 PM and the speaking program begins at 1:30 PM.

About our Speakers

Eleanor Kiloh is His Majesty’s Consul General. Based in San Francisco, she is the senior representative of the UK government in Northern California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Alaska.

The Consulate-General covers a broad range of political and policy work including on climate, trade, and technology, as well as providing support to British nationals and companies.

Eleanor has previously had diplomatic postings to Singapore, China, Thailand, and Indonesia – as well as a posting to the US, in Washington DC. There, she also had a secondment to the US State Department, developing US-UK collaboration on Asia policy issues. Eleanor has also been seconded to the UK’s Department for International Development and to the Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street. In 2005, she was deployed to Aceh as Senior Advisor to the European Union Aceh Monitoring Mission, supporting the peace process there. She is a specialist in geopolitical affairs, with a particular focus on the Indo-Pacific.

Colonel Tom Archer-Burton is the United Kingdom’s Assistant Military Attaché to the United States of America, based at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.

A graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Colonel Archer-Burton commissioned into The Blues and Royals, beginning his military career as a Reconnaissance Troop Commander. He has extensive military experience, having commanded on operations in Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, and East Africa.

His staff appointments reflect a broad portfolio of strategic and multinational responsibilities. These include serving as Military Assistant to the Chief of Staff of NATO’s International Joint Command in Kabul; SO2 Strategic Communications on the General Staff; Military Assistant to the Senior British Military Advisor to US CENTCOM; SO2 Capability Strategy within Defence; and SO1 Capability Plans in the Ministry of Defence’s Finance and Military Capability directorate.

He was appointed as the inaugural Chief of the General Staff’s Academic Fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a globally respected geopolitical think tank. In this role, he contributed to strategic dialogue and policy development at the intersection of defence and international affairs. Following this, he assumed command of 77th Brigade’s deployable unit, leading innovative operations within the information environment across the full spectrum of conflict.

Prior to his current posting, he commanded the Multi-Domain Operations Group within the 1st (United Kingdom) Division.

He holds an undergraduate degree in Theology from Durham University and a master’s degree in Economics, Globalisation & Development from SOAS, University of London. He is also a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) and the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Colonel Archer-Burton serves as the Deputy Champion of the Defence Christian Network. He is married to Lucy, and together they have three young sons.