With Mark Carney fresh off an election win that keeps him in the Prime Minister’s Office, there’s a woman Canadians will likely come to recognize at his side: Diana Fox Carney, an economist, environmental advocate and hockey player.
The 37-day federal election campaign saw Carney travelling across Canada with Fox Carney by his side — a presence that continued on election night when she not only stood beside him during his victory speech, but also introduced him to the crowd.
“He has a great mind for trivia, a wicked sense of humour and a wonderful smile. He’s been that way since our very first date when we were young grad students,” she said during the speech.
“As his partner, I could not be more proud of him. And as a Canadian, I’m so thankful that the man I met more than 30 years ago has held tight to that strong commitment to service. I’m lucky to have him, we’re lucky to have him now more than ever.”
Though they don’t have an official title, office or role like a first lady in the U.S., the spouses of Canadian prime ministers are often visible at public and political events, and many choose to get involved in charitable work or champion social issues.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, former wife of former prime minister Justin Trudeau, was a vocal advocate for mental health while Laureen Harper, wife of former prime minister Stephen Harper, was well-known for fostering dozens of rescue cats at 24 Sussex, the official residence.
It’s not yet clear what comes next for Fox Carney — some spouses of prime ministers opt for more private lives, while others engage more publicly on the causes that matter to them.
Fox Carney has had a long and prominent career.
Here’s what we know about her.
Fox Carney grew up in the United Kingdom and attended Oxford High School before going on to Marlborough College, a boarding school in the county of Wiltshire — the same school attended by Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales.
She later studied at the University of Oxford as a member of St John’s College, earning a degree in philosophy, politics and economics, followed by a master’s in agricultural economics, according to her LinkedIn. She also holds a master of arts in international relations from the University of Pennsylvania.
While studying at the University of Oxford, she met Carney through their involvement in the university’s ice hockey teams, where Carney was a goaltender and Fox Carney played as a forward.
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The university’s ice hockey club described her as “known for her ability to skate rings around her opponents and move effortlessly through the opposing defensive line.”
Fox Carney is an economist whose work has centred on development and climate policy.
“She began her career with the UK government in Zanzibar,” according to a biography on the website of the Balsillie School of International Affairs, where she was a fellow.
She previously served as the vice-president of Canada 2020, a self-described progressive think tank that focuses on climate, energy, social mobility and inequality.
After that, she became the director of strategy and engagement at the U.K.-based Institute for Public Policy Research before joining Eurasia Group in 2021, where she focused on climate and energy issues.
She’s also chaired the Clear Climate Fund at Helios Investment Partners, advised General Atlantic’s BeyondNetZero climate fund, and served on the boards of several charities, including Save the Children.
She has also been an executive director at Pi Capital, “a London-based membership club that convenes extraordinary events with the world’s most sought-after thinkers.”
Fox Carney has also written two books on public and private roles in agricultural service provision and natural resource management.
Carney and Fox Carney have four daughters: Cleo, Tess, Amelia and Sasha.
Their daughter Cleo, who studies at Harvard University, spoke during the Liberal leadership race in March 2025. She introduced her dad after he was elected as the Liberal leader, describing him as “focused and principled,” but also “funny and kind.”
“Every year for our birthdays, he burned us CDs, and somehow, they were always good. Now, when we’re unsure what to get him, we make him a playlist,” she said to the audience.
In her first-person contributor biography from when she was with Pi Capital, Fox Carney described the challenges of raising a family.
“I endeavour to raise my four daughters so that they are full of integrity, kindness and inner strength. That is certainly the hardest of all my jobs,” Fox Carney wrote.
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