US diplomat's daughter sues council for allowing Pimlico neighbour to turn house into Montenegrin embassy - claiming it failed to take into account her clinical anxiety

Published: 12:26 EDT, 29 October 2026 | Updated: 12:32 EDT, 29 October 2026 An American diplomat's daughter is suing a London council for letting a neighbour turn their home into Montenegro's UK embassy, citing her clinical anxiety. Diana Simpson, 35, is leading the protests about a planned change of use for the property in Pimlico, central London.Protesters say of the newly established embassy in the capital for the Balkans nation that its 'flagpole and rather tacky-looking flag stick out like a sore thumb'.The building stands among Grade II listed homes in the upmarket London district. Ms Simpson lives with her parents in the Pimlico street, with her father having previously served as a US diplomat.What was previously a five-bedroom family home has now been converted into the embassy for Montenegro, a country that was formerly part of Yugoslavia yet declared independence in 2006.Locals responding to Westminster City Council included one calling the new look 'gaudy' while saying the embassy was 'out of keeping with the quietly dignified' street. And Ms Simpson is taking further steps, suing the local authority and applying a judicial review and potential damages. Diana Simpson, 35, is leading protests about a planned change of use for the new Montenegro embassy in Pimlico, central London Montenegro's embassy in central London has prompted protests to Westminster councilShe argues that the council failed to take into account the effects on her mental health when embassy officials belatedly applied for planning permission.Ms Simpson, living on the street for three decades and whose father is a former US diplomat, receives disability benefits.She has been diagnosed with clinical anxiety, long Covid and a functional neurological disorder, The Guardian reported.She told of struggling to sleep in 'an alternative to my lifelong bedroom, to gain some marginal relief' while work was going on nearby.Ms Simpson described struggling 'sometimes in the middle of the night when I cannot reason with my activated primal "fear" brain response (for example, upon hearing a creak)'.She told the council of 'immediately fearing an intruder accessing my room from the embassy, despite knowing the possibility is very slim and that this response is mostly irrational'.Ms Simpson also said she had thought about whether 'it remains tenable for me to continue to live in this house, which I had anticipated having the option of living in for the rest of my life'.But she said that moving elsewhere would take her away from a 'local tight-knit community'.Her case alleges the local authority failed to take her conditions into account, acted irrationally and delivered a flawed public consultation.Westminster City Council has rejected the accusations, saying: 'There is no plausible interference with the claimant’s home or her private and family life.'A spokesman said: 'Councils are legally required to take decisions in line with existing planning policy.'It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.'Montenegro's embassy in London was in De Vere Gardens, in Kensington, two and a half miles away. Ms Simpson and the council have been approached for further comment.