After being introduced in The Diplomat season 1, Celia Imrie’s Margaret Roylin plays an even bigger part in the latest run of the Netflix political drama, and her arc is very different from the previous run. Imrie is a major part of The Diplomat season 2 cast, as most of the story can’t progress without Roylin’s involvement. However, she lacks the freedom she had in The Diplomat season 1. Regardless, that doesn’t stop her being a huge part of the plot.

The Diplomat season 2’s ending wouldn’t have happened if not for Celia Imrie’s character. Roylin’s connections to both Roman Lenkov and Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge make for an explosive season 2 finale that has been developing since the show’s very first episode. Excitingly, the drama isn’t over yet, and Roylin’s influence must carry on into The Diplomat season 3’s storyline – even if she once again shifts into a new kind of role.

Margaret Roylin Is Alive At The End Of The Diplomat Season 2

Roylin survives Trowbridge’s heated attack

After the car bomb that detonates at the end of The Diplomat season 1, and kills Merritt Grove (Simon Chandler) and Ronnie Buckhurst (Jess Chanliau), Roylin suddenly becomes impossible to locate. As it turns out, she was being kept in a London CIA safehouse by Ali Ahn’s Eidra Park. Although the knowledge of Roylin’s whereabouts is only available to a select few characters in The Diplomat, the circle becomes increasingly wider as season 2 progresses.

Roylin is lucky to survive the immediate aftermath of sharing the truth with Rory Kinnear’s Trowbridge.

After revealing her damning role in the attack on the HMS Courageous by Russian mercenary-for-hire Roman Lenkov, (Sam Douglas), Roylin is lucky to survive the immediate aftermath of sharing the truth with Rory Kinnear’s Trowbridge. Immediately turning to enraged violence, Trowbridge lunges for his former advisor and causes her to sustain a serious head injury. The moment doesn’t result in Roylin’s death, though. So, she will presumably return in The Diplomat season 3.

The CIA Still Has Roylin, And Can’t Give Her Up Now

Roylin being handed over to the British authorities would likely be a death sentence

Although there is some discussion after Trowbridge’s attack on Roylin about whether to turn Imrie’s character over to the British police, she is ultimately returned to the CIA safehouse. The CIA, however, are aware how much this bends the rules, and are desperate for Trowbridge to approve Roylin being transferred into British custody. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has no idea just how deep the corruption runs in this government, and is unwilling to cooperate until he’s had the chance to launch a clandestine investigation into who else was collaborating with Roylin and Grove.

The CIA face another roadblock when Michael McKean’s President Rayburn is informed that Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney) was the original ideator of the plan to hire Lenkov. The US President is so taken aback, he dies of a heart attack, elevating Penn to the late President’s position. If the CIA were to turn Roylin over now, Penn would surely use all the tools at her disposal to get rid of her. That way, Roylin wouldn’t be able to tell the British authorities what she knows, which wouldn’t have been a problem when Rayburn was still The Diplomat‘s President.