It has been a strange couple of weeks for the millionaire west London neighbours living in the vicinity of Dame Antonia Romeo’s £8.5million townhouse.
They may not even have been aware of who she was just two weeks ago – but after Dame Antonia was unveiled as the first woman to be appointed the head of the UK Civil Service in a blaze of publicity they almost certainly do now.
Then a week later there was an altercation on their very doorstep that cast our new Cabinet Secretary in a rather different light: ‘F*** yourself! Mind your own f***ing business!’ was reportedly heard ringing around the exclusive neighbourhood.
The source of this foul language, reportedly delivered in a raised voice, is alleged to have been a builder in the employ of the Whitehall mandarin’s private equity chief husband as part of a grand £2million upgrade.
Dame Antonia, who is said to command a £200,000 salary in her new role, bought the house in a chichi neighbourhood in West London with her hugely wealthy husband John Romeo, back in 2023.
The couple, who have three children, are now renovating the 3,750 square foot property extensively and also hope to install a single-storey room in the garden of the home.
But now there are suggestions that the builders they have employed to carry out the works are making a nuisance of themselves – which culminated in this week’s very public rant.
One disgruntled neighbour told the Daily Mail: ‘Whilst major building happens regularly around here and we are all quite used to it, most projects are careful to stick to the rules.
Romeo, who served as the first female British Consul General to New York, hosted a glitzy Vogue party at her residence in New York. She is seen here posing with model Alexa Chung
It was her American husband John Romeo’s job relocation that prompted the whole family – including their daughter Izzie and their sons Zac and Rocco – to move there in 2016
‘But the owners of this house have been a bit cavalier – on more than one occasion they have not secured a parking suspension which you are supposed to do if you are for example putting skip down over a parking space.
‘Instead of going through the correct procedure they have simply busked it – blocking off the parking with cones or sacks of building material so that paying residents with parking permits can’t park there.
‘My partner, who is a cancer sufferer, drove round and round looking for parking this week. And when asking the builders to unblock the space was told to “f*** yourself, mind your own f***ing business” in a very unpleasant way.’
He went on: ‘The parking bays were blocked again the next day and this time I confronted the builders.
‘This time they were much more conciliatory and before I knew it someone had even dropped off a bunch of flowers to say sorry.’
The six-bedroom, four bathroom home, which also has three ‘grand’ reception rooms, is located in one of the wealthiest and most exclusive areas of London.
The classic central London town house is on a wide road just off one of the capital’s best known shopping streets with a large garden at the back, as well as two balconies.
The head of the civil service has had a long and varied career to date. This includes serving as a diplomat in New York, as well as being the permanent secretary of the International Trade, Ministry of Justice, and, most recently, the Home Office in 2025.
Yet Dame Antonia, who has been dubbed the ‘queen of woke’ by her critics, has found herself under scrutiny before.
Former PM Liz Truss (left) worked with Romeo during her time as trade secretary from 2019 to 2021
Former prime minister Theresa May (left), accompanied by then-British Consul General Romeo, at the UN General Assembly in September 2016
When she was a senior diplomat in New York, she faced several allegations of bullying in 2017 – but this was later dismissed after it was decided there ‘was no case to answer’.
The Oxford graduate was also involved in an expenses row, at the same time, over claiming her children’s private school fees as well as last-minute flights from the United States to London so she could attend the BAFTAs.
Other colleagues also accused the diplomat – who often attended parties alongside A-list celebrities including Rupert Murdoch, Anna Wintour and disgraced Harvey Weinstein – accused her of putting her personal profile above her work.
She was also accused of allowing her husband, who is the global head of private equity at management consultancy firm Oliver Wyman, to host work functions at her taxpayer funded property in the States.
These claims were also dismissed as ‘misogyny’ by Dave Penman, the head of the civil service union, adding that she was targeted with the allegations because she was a ‘female candidate with a profile’ and had an ‘outgoing and dynamic’ personality.
And the Cabinet Office later concluded: ‘These allegations were made some time ago, were thoroughly investigated and were dismissed on the basis there was no case to answer.’
Dame Antonia, 51, was born and grew up in London, attending the prestigious Westminster School.
She went on to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University before working for three years as a business consultant.
Known for her style sense and mixing with celebrities, Dame Antonia is pictured here with Joanna Lumley
She worked at Oliver Wyman – the company at which her Cambridge graduate husband is now so senior.
After leaving the company she went on to get a masters degree from the London School of Economics.
Always known for being ‘super ambitious’ she then joined the civil service in her late 20s, where she has remained for the rest of her career to date.
She first worked at the Lord Chancellor’s Department and then the Department of Constitutional Affairs.
Dame Antonia then moved with her husband and their children to the United States where she served as the first female British Consul General to New York.
It was her American husband’s job relocation that prompted the whole family – including their daughter Izzie and their sons Zac and Rocco – to move there in 2016.
Speaking to the Times about the relocation in 2017 she said: ‘It was an exciting opportunity and I was just very lucky that it all worked out.
‘As my father-in-law lives in New York, it has made our move really easy.
‘Besides, if you’ve grown up in London, which I did, then you understand New York.’
While she was there she gained a reputation for being a party girl, known for attending parties filled with A-listers.
She’s hosted events with the likes of Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, as well as attending the Democratic and Republican conventions each year.
Dame Antonia was appointed by the Prime Minister earlier this month after her predecessor Sir Chris Wormald was ousted amid the controversy about Lord Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are presented with an official record of their Coronation by Romeo at Buckingham Palace on May 1, 2024. She was then Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
Speaking after the appointment Dame Antonia, who is the first female Cabinet Officer in the role’s 110-year history, added: ‘The Civil Service is a great and remarkable institution, which I love.
’We should be known for delivery, efficiency and innovation, working to implement the Government’s agenda and meet the challenges the country faces.
’I look forward to working with all colleagues across the Civil Service to do this, in support of the Prime Minister and the Government.’
