At the heart of the former India Office building within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in King Charles Street, London, the Durbar Court was designed as a grand reception space. The creation of the architect, Matthew Digby Wyatt, it was con

The Muse Staircase - history and features

Sep 9th, 2016 1m 26s

The Muse Staircase in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London was designed by Matthew Digby Wyatt in the 1860s and was originally part of the building that housed the India Office. Here, FCO guide Lesley Vickers describes the history and

The Grand Staircase - history and features

Sep 9th, 2016 3m 52s

The Grand Staircase in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London was designed by architect Charles Gilbert Scott and opened in 1868. Its design and decoration was intended to impress visiting dignitaries and guests, providing a grand entran

The Locarno Suite - history and features

Sep 9th, 2016 2m 9s

Designed by George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s as a grand reception suite to host diplomats and visitors to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, the Locarno Suite was re-named after the Treaty of Locarno in 1925, which was signed in th

Lancaster House - history and features

Sep 9th, 2016 4m 1s

Built in the early nineteenth century as a home for the Duke of York, Lancaster House in London is today a Government hospitality venue and occasional stand-in for Buckingham Palace in the movies and television. Here, Robert Alexander of the Fo

The EU and the Commonwealth - The UK's place in both

May 26th, 2016 19m 21s

Speech by The RT Hon Hugo Swire MP at Chatham House, 25 May 2016

The Foreign Office's Human Rights work around the world

Apr 22nd, 2016 5m 54s

Minister Baroness Anelay shares her thoughts on UK Human Rights and Democracy work

MI6 records 1909 - 1949

Feb 29th, 2016 3m 40s

Professor Keith Jeffery, author of the History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909 - 1949, speaks about his privileged access to SIS (MI6) records

The Sealand Affair - the last great adventure of the twentieth century?

Feb 29th, 2016 30m

Grant Hibberd, a Research Assistant with the FCO’s Historians team, discusses “The Sealand Affair”, an obscure, but fascinating, footnote in British legal and diplomatic history.

Audio tour of the history of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office building

Feb 29th, 2016 19m 55s

An audio tour of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office building in Westminster, London.

1989 Hungary/Austria border crossings

Feb 29th, 2016 9m 17s

Diplomat Chris Greenwood remembers his role in reporting the border crossings between Hungary and Austria - one of the major contributing factors to the collapse of East Germany and the Berlin Wall.

Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) early records

Feb 29th, 2016 15m 52s

Christopher Baxter, a former research fellow in Intelligence History at Queens University Belfast, speaks about some of the most important documents from the SIS's early history.

Voice from Vienna - Dame Stephanie Shirley: philanthropist, entrepreneur, inspiration.

Mar 6th, 2015 4m 50s

Marking International Women's Day 2015, Ambassador Susan le Jeune d'Allegeershecque nominates Dame Stephanie Shirley as part of the #InspiredBy campaign.Photo: Christian Fischer

Voice from Vienna - "I'm here to talk about the challenges facing the Jewish community across Europe."

Jan 26th, 2015 1m 59s

Sir Andrew Burns, UK Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust issues and chairman of the International Holocaust #Remembrance Alliance, talking about his speech to the OSCE Permanent Council on the importance of #Holocaust education, remembrance and re

Chris Clark, Regius Professor of History at the University of Cambridge and author of The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 (2012), discusses Grey and his role in the July Crisis of 1914.

Dec 3rd, 2014 52m 40s

One of a series of podcasts drawn from ‘Sir Edward Grey and the Outbreak of the First World War’, a conference organised by FCO Historians and the LSE, where leading experts examined pre-war Foreign Office diplomacy and Britain’s decision to in

Brits Living in Spain

Oct 17th, 2014 40s

If you're a British national living in Spain, check out facebook.com/BritsLivingInSpain for useful information and advice from the British Embassy #TravelAware

Oct 17th, 2014 40s

If you're a British national living in Spain, make sure you register on the Padron. If you don't, you may find that you're not entitled to important things like healthcare and social services #TravelAware

Living in Spain

Oct 17th, 2014 40s

You never know when you might want to travel back to the UK. If you're a British national living in Spain, make sure your passport is valid and that your emergency contact details are up to date #TravelAware

Balcony safety

Oct 17th, 2014 30s

Booze and balconies don’t mix. Fooling around on a balcony could cost you your life #TravelAware

Points of view

Oct 17th, 2014 50s

Know your alcohol limits when you're abroad. Don't waste your holiday in hospital or in a prison cell #KnowBeforeYouGo

Belongings

Oct 8th, 2014 40s

Ever lost your wallet, passports or tickets on holiday? Keep your valuables safe, and make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance just in case #KnowBeforeYouGo

Don't Offend the locals

Oct 8th, 2014 50s

When you’re overseas, spare a thought for others. Make sure you’re clued up on the local laws and customs of your destination. Our travel advice pages are a good place to start #KnowBeforeYouGo

Check in

Oct 8th, 2014 40s

Do you take out comprehensive travel insurance, check the health requirements and research the local laws and customs before travelling overseas? It pays to prepare before you head off #KnowBeforeYouGo