WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The Diplomat season 2.

Ronnie was a key member of Kate Wyler’s staff who died in the car explosion at the end of The Diplomat season 1. Keri Russell leads the cast of The Diplomat season 2 along with Rufus Sewell as her husband Hal, David Gyasi as Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison, Ali Ahn as CIA operative Eidra Park, and Rory Kinnear as Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge. The series picks up after the events of The Diplomat season 1’s ending, which left the lives of Hal, Ato Essandoh’s Stuart, and Jess Chanliau’s Ronnie up in the air.

Keri Russell received an Emmy nomination for her role as U.S. Ambassador Kate Wyler in The Diplomat season 1. The series introduces a handful of new characters, most notably Allison Janey’s Vice President Grace Penn, while narrowing its focus on those responsible for the car explosion that killed Merritt Grove and the missile attack on the HMS Courageous, two of the biggest curveballs of The Diplomat season 1. The Diplomat was created by Debora Chan (The West Wing, Grey’s Anatomy, Homeland).

All 6 episodes of
The Diplomat
season 2 are now available exclusively on Netflix.

Ronnie Buckhurst Is A Foreign Service Officer & Stuart’s Deputy

Stuart knew Ronnie the longest out of anyone and felt directly responsible

Ronnie Buckhurst is an American foreign service officer who works under Stuart Hayford, the UK embassy’s chief of mission, and Kate Wyler, the U.S. Ambassador stationed in the United Kingdom. Ronnie plays a subsidiary role throughout The Diplomat season 1, aiding both Stuart and Kate and they handle various matters of diplomacy and national interest for the United States. Stuart had known and worked with Ronnie for a longer period of time than Kate, which is why he takes Ronnie’s death more harshly.

Ronnie was one of the people caught in the car explosion that killed Merritt Grove at the end of The Diplomat season 1. Hal had set up a meeting with Grove after the latter had insisted that they meet privately. Hal is late to the meeting and does not have a chance to hear what Grove has to say. Ronnie finds Grove to tell him that Stuart will be arriving on her behalf to meet with him, which upsets Grove and forces him to leave. As Stuart and Hal both arrive, Ronnie follows Grove to his car and is killed by the explosion.

The Car Bomb In The Diplomat Season 1 Finale Killed Ronnie

Ronnie was the only U.S. staff member who died from the explosion

The Diplomat season 2 wastes no time in revealing who lived and who died of those impacted by the car explosion. Since Grove opened the car door to trigger the bomb, his death was essentially certain. Ronnie, who was just feet behind Grove, was close enough for the impact to be fatal. Ronnie does make a brief appearance at the start of The Diplomat season 2 being rushed to the hospital on a stretcher. However, emergency surgeons were unable to save Ronnie’s life. Hal and Stuart both survive after being hospitalized in The Diplomat season 2 and Stuart is greatly affected by Ronnie’s death.