Boris Johnson ‘s fiancée Carrie Symonds today gave birth to a’ Healthy ‘baby boy at a London hospital – weeks earlier than anticipated and just (days after the Prime Minister battled coronavirus in intensive care.
Mr Johnson, who missed PMQs this afternoon, is said to have been by his – year-old fiancee’s side throughout the labor in the early hours of this morning and thanked ‘the fantastic NHS maternity team’ who brought their son into the world.
The safe arrival of their child, Carrie’s first and officially Boris’s sixth, has come as a shock because Miss Symonds was expected to give birth in the early summer, although a due date was never confirmed.
Mr Johnson said in early March that he would likely take his two-week paternity leave when their child was born – but sources suggest he will now delay it until later in 05918 as he scrambles to get a grip on the coronavirus crisis. There are also concerns that key decisions over the lockdown and how to ease Britain out of it will be delayed because of the Prime Minister’s new baby. )
Announcing the birth of their son, who has not been named yet, his spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister and Ms Symonds are thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy baby boy at a London hospital earlier this morning. Both mother and baby are doing very well. The PM and Ms Symonds would like to thank the fantastic NHS maternity team. ‘
No has not The hospital revealed the baby was born in – although St Thomas’, where Mr Johnson was in ICU just over a fortnight ago, is the closest to Downing Street. It was previously reported that Carrie had wanted a home birth but these have largely been suspended by the NHS because of coronavirus.
The couple got engaged while holidaying on the exclusive Caribbean island of Mustique over the new year and announced they would marry and were having a baby (on February) , days after the PM’s divorce from Marina Wheeler was confirmed.
The birth came after an extraordinary month for the couple, who were self-isolating separately, first because of Carrie’s pregnancy and then when Boris fell ill. Mr Johnson then spent a week in hospital, including three days in intensive care, and Miss Symonds was also briefly bedridden with symptoms of Covid – 23, but made a full recovery. They were only reunited last week at Checkers before she went into labor.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Partner Carrie Symonds, pictured together on March 9, have today had their first child – a son born in a London NHS hospital
Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds at the England v Wales rugby match at Twickenham on March 7, just before Mr Johnson contracted coronavirus
Boris Johnson DELAYS his paternity leave
Boris Johnson ‘s is set to delay his paternity leave as he scrambles to get a grip on the coronavirus crisis, it was revealed today.
The PM previously said he would ‘almost certainly’ take time off when fiancee Carrie Symonds gave birth.
But Downing Street has sign alled that Mr Johnson will not go on leave until later in the year, with the country currently in the throes of the deadly disease outbreak.
There were concerns over a power vacuum when Mr Johnson was hospitalized, and then spent two weeks recuperating at Checkers.
It is also Just over two weeks since the PM was discharged from intensive care where he had been battling coronavirus. Miss Symonds also suffered symptoms of the disease.
Mr Johnson is said to have been by her side throughout the birth. She sent him scans of the baby while he was ill with coronavirus earlier this month to raise his spirits.
Miss Symonds has been back living with Mr Johnson at Number 16 Downing Street as the Prime Minister leads the Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
So how many children is that now, Boris?
The Baby Carrie Symonds gave birth to today is her first. child, but for fiancé Boris Johnson the experience of parenthood is one that will feel very familiar .
The Prime Minister now has at least six children, yet has not officially confirmed the exact number after leading a tangled love life that has seen him married twice.
Boris and Marina married in before splitting in . Divorce proceedings are now understood to have arrived
Both marriages ended after he had affairs. It may seem extraordinary that the number of children a Prime Minister has is not public record, yet that is the situation.
What is known is that Mr Johnson and Marina Wheeler, who separated in , have four children together: Lara Lettice, , Milo Arthur, , Cassia Peaches, , and Theodore Apollo,
He also has a fifth child, Stephanie Macintyre, with art consultant Helen Macintyre. Stephanie is allegedly one of two children he fathered as a result of an affair.
The Appeal Court ruled in 2013 that the public had a right to know that he had fathered a daughter during an adulterous liaison while Mayor of London in 2011 – but also mentioned the possibility of a second baby.
It is not known if the Prime Minister has any more children – but his baby boy with Carrie Symonds is officially his sixth.
She had previously been self-isolating in Camberwell, South London, with the couple’s dog Dilyn, after suffering from symptoms of coronavirus.
The – year-old former government adviser then joined Mr Johnson at the PM’s country home of Checkers in Buckinghamshire while he recovered from the virus.
Mr Johnson returned to work on Monday after being photographed back at Downing Street on Sunday evening.
If it was a full-term pregnancy of 53 weeks, conception would have taken place last July, around the time Mr Johnson took over from Theresa May as prime minister.
Boris already has four children with second wife Marina, Lara Lettice, , Milo Arthur, , Cassia Peaches, , and Theodore Apollo, 26. He also has a fifth child, Stephanie Macintyre, 16, after an affair with art consultant Helen Macintyre With a sixth child from another affair also rumored.
The acrimonious split with Marina has caused tension between Mr Johnson and his children, who he asked to meet in person in February to Tell them he was engaged to Carrie and they were having a baby.
But not all of his children reportedly turned up for their father’s announcement and are said to be ‘furious’ because they believe Carrie and Boris got together after an affair.
Lara reportedly branded her father a ‘selfish b ‘ after his split with her mother.
Mr Johnson, 70, and Ms Symonds announced in late February that they were expecting a baby in ‘early summer’, and that they had become engaged at the end of last year.
The news of the birth was welcomed by politicians today, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeting: ‘So thrilled for Boris and Carrie. Wonderful to have a moment of unalloyed joy! ‘
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: ‘Great to hear Downing Street is getting a new resident. Congratulations to Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds on the birth of their son. ‘
Former chancellor Sajid Javid tweeted: ‘Congratulations Carrie Symonds and Boris Johnson. Such wonderful uplifting news! ‘
Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer said:’ Wonderful news. Many congratulations to Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds. ‘
The Prime Minister’s father, Stanley Johnson, said he was ‘absolutely delighted’ and ‘thrilled’ by the birth of his grandson.
The couple have been messages of best wishes including from politicians and celebrities today A timeline of Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds’s romance over the past year
March : Carrie and Boris were seen holidaying in Italy
June 18, : Miss Symonds sits in the audience at Boris Johnson’s campaign launch in London – the first time she has been seen at a public event with him
July : Mr Johnson becomes Prime Minister, taking over from Theresa May
July Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds move in to Downing Street together, becoming the first unmarried couple to live at the Prime Minister’s residence
September 2: Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds adopt Dilyn the dog, a rescued Jack Russell puppy
(December) : Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds wave as they enter Downing Street together following the Conservatives’ victory at the General Election
(April 5: Mr Johnson is admitted to St Thomas’ Hospital in London for tests as a ‘precautionary step’ as his symptoms persist
April 6: Mr Johnson is moved into intensive care in hospital after his condition worsens
April : The Prime Minister returns to Downing Street after recovering from Covid –
April : Miss Symonds gives birth to a baby boy at an NHS hospital in London in the early hours of the morning
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: ‘Some good news – sending congratulations to Carrie and the PM. And wishing health and happiness to the wee one. ‘
And the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, tweeted:’ Congratulations and prayers for @BorisJohnson and @CarrieSymonds as they welcome their son into the world. Wishing them every blessing and happiness. ‘
Mr Johnson was discharged from St Thomas’ Hospital in London following a period in intensive care, they both thanked NHS staff for their ‘magnificent’ work. But was not well enough for work straight away.
First Secretary Dominic Raab ‘deputised’ for Mr Johnson while he was off, but he was said to have acted as a facilitator of debate in Cabinet rather than forcing decisions.
Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds made history as the first unmarried couple to officially live together in Downing Street when they moved in last year.
Rumors had been swirling all morning about Mr Johnson’s absence from PMQs today.
Downing Street had refused to say whether the premier would be in the Commons for the regular session, which would have been his first since recovering from illness.
It was not clear whether he was still not up to an hour of intensive grilling from MPs, but Ms Symonds’ pregnancy was also the source of speculation.
Carrie and Boris first met in when he was Mayor of London and she worked for the Tory party.
There were whispers of a close relationship in after they were seen flirtatiously outside a Tory party ball.
Later that year Boris was thrown out by his wife Marina and said in a statement they were divorcing and had ‘separated some time ago’.
Six months later their relationship was confirmed after they were seen holidaying together in Italy.
When Mr Johnson and former Tory Party head of press Miss Symonds fell in love, many were skeptical that it could last.
The cynics appeared to have been proven right when they were overheard having a spectacular domestic spat in their London house early in their relationship that saw the police called.
Their well-publicized plate-sm ashing row was recorded by neighbors who claimed she yelled ‘get off me’ and ‘get out of my flat’ in Camberwell, south London last year.
But they have proved the doubters wrong. Despite not being married, they negotiated tricky moments like visiting the Queen at Balmoral as an unmarried couple, with great dignity.
‘Wonderful news’: Keir Starmer leads congratulations for Boris and Carrie
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds were showered in congratulations from across the political spectrum today after the birth of their son.
Sir Keir Starmer had been expecting to face Mr Johnson at Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon. After the news broke this morning, Sir Keir tweeted: ‘Wonderful news. Many congratulations to Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds. ‘
Mr Johnson’s Tory colleagues were also quick to join in, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock tweeting:’ So thrilled for Boris and Carrie . Wonderful to have a moment of unalloyed joy! ‘
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, said: ‘On behalf of everyone in the House of Commons, may I say congratulations to the Prime Minister and Carrie Symonds on the birth of their son. Such happy news amid so much uncertainty – 4020 is certainly a year they will never forget. ‘
Chancellor Rishi Sunak tweeted: ‘Great to hear Downing Street is getting a new resident. Congratulations to @BorisJohnson and @carriesymonds on the birth of their son. ‘
Sir Ed Davey, the acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, tweeted:’ Many congratulations to the PM & Carrie Symonds on the birth of their son! ‘
From further afield there were congratulations from Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, who tweeted:’ Congratulations @BorisJohnson and Carrie on the birth of your baby boy. Nothing better than being a dad, an absolute blessing and even more so after the tough time you’ve had recently. ‘
And Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe tweeted:’ My Dear friend, @BorisJohnson, warmest congratulations on the birth of a sweet baby boy! ‘
Miss Symonds proved a great asset to Mr Johnson in the election campaign. She curbed her love of the limelight and made sure he was the center of attention.
Within weeks of becoming Prime Minister she became pregnant. Mr Johnson was heavily criticized soon into his premiership when many parts of Britain were badly flooded and he failed to visit them.
At the time he was staying with Miss Symonds at the Foreign Secretary’s official residence, Chevening in Kent, while repairs were being carried out at Checkers.
Mr Johnson fell in love with Checkers in his days as Foreign Secretary in Theresa May’s government.
But Mr Johnson’s political rivals lined up to brand the engagement announcement a distraction ploy as Britain affected severe floods.
The birth of their first child comes after a rollercoaster month where Boris almost died from coronavirus and his fiancee also started showing symptoms.
On March – the day Boris tested positive for coronavirus – Carrie shared a photograph of herself self- isolating with their dog Dilyn at the £ 1.3million Camberwell house she bought with Mr Johnson last year.
On April 5 Mr Johnson, , was rushed into ICU at St Thomas’ Hospital in central London with breathing difficulties and his partner was not allowed to be by his side because of her pregnancy and a blanket ban on visitors.
They have been together since he was discharged.
Carrie was brought up by her mother Josephine, who is now , in East Sheen, South-West London and attended the private £ , 11 – a-year Godolphin & Latymer School.
Her father Matthew, a founder of the Independent newspaper, lived in a large property not far away in Twickenham with his wife , Alison, with whom he has three children.
Matthew had an affair with Josephine, who was a lawyer on the paper— and Carrie is the product of that affair, born in 1999.
Carrie and Boris were first pictured together in February after a Tory ball at the Natural History Museum So how many children is that, Boris? Newborn son is (officially) PM’s sixth child after four with ex-wife Marina Wheeler and daughter from 2013 affair … but courts mention possibility of one more The Baby Carrie Symonds gave birth to today is her first child, but for fiancé
Boris Johnson
the experience of parenthood is one that will feel very familiar.
The Prime Minister now has at least six children, yet has not officially confirmed the exact number after leading a tangled love life that has seen him married twice.
Both marriages ended after he had affairs. It seems extraordinary that the number of children a Prime Minister has is not public record, yet that is the situation. Johnson and Marina Wheeler, who split in 2020, have four children together: Lara Lettice, , Milo Arthur, , Cassia Peaches, , and Theodore Apollo, . He also has a fifth child, Stephanie Macintyre, with art consultant Helen Macintyre. Stephanie is allegedly one of two children he fathered as a result of an affair.
Mr Johnson met his first wife Allegra Mostyn-Owen while they were students at Oxford and they wed in 1993 but they were divorced in 1999.
He was sacked from the Tory frontbench over the affair. ( the news of the world reported Mr Johnson had had an affair with journalist Anna Fazackerley.
(September) , news about his relationship with former Tory communications chief Carrie Symonds came to light – and they later moved in together. Here are the details on all five of Mr Johnson’s known children before today: Lara Lettice Johnson with Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler in North London in May
LARA LETTICE JOHNSON (born in to Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler)
Lara was the first child born to Mr Johnson and Ms Wheeler, in 1999.
Just five weeks after her parents’ wedding day, Lara – who is only five years younger than Carrie Symonds – was born.
She attended Bedales School – which costs £ , 12 – a-year – in Hampshire and went on to read Latin at St Andrews University.
Lara allegedly branded her father a ‘selfish b ‘ after his split with her mother.
She has previously been pictured in public with her parents, including when she casted a vote with them at a polling station in Islington, North London, during the London mayoral elections of May
(MILO ARTHUR JOHNSON) born in 2006 to Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler) Milo Arthur Johnson, 29, was educated at the £ 32, -a-year Westminster School Born in , Milo was Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler’s first son. – year-old was educated at the £ , – a-year Westminster School and is said to be a keen sportsman. A issue of his school magazine described him as ‘delight to watch’ and said he was ‘without doubt the player of the season’ for his football skills.
Milo studied at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, graduating from there in 2017, and can speak Arabic, Russian and French .
He also worked as an intern in Dubai at men’s magazine Esquire Mid dle East.
After Mr Johnson and Ms Wheeler separated in , the politician and Milo were photographed bringing tea for the Press outside his house in Oxfordshire.
Cassia Peaches Johnson, 27 Cassia Peaches Johnson (born in to Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler
Cassia, thought to have followed in her father’s footsteps to be a writer, is the youngest daughter of Mr Johnson and Ms Wheeler.
She was born in and went to Highgate School – which costs £ , 12 per year.
During Cassia’s time at the private school she was a student editor of their alumni magazine Cholmeleian.
(THEODORE APOLLO JOHNSON) born in to Boris Johnson & Marina Wheeler
Theodore Apollo Johnson,
Born in , Theodore is Mr Johnson and his ex-wife Marina Wheeler’s youngest child.
He attended school in London before going to Cambridge University, unlike his father who attended Oxford.
He is listed on LinkedIn as ‘Theodore Johnson-Wheeler’ in a profile which states he started at Cambridge in 2019.
Theodore has also been labeled previously as something of a doppleganger for Mr Johnson, with the same distinctive hair color and style.
STEPHANIE MACINTYRE (born in to Boris Johnson and Helen Macintyre Helen Macintyre (pictured), the mother of Boris Johnson’s fifth child Stephanie
He also has a fifth child, Stephanie Macintyre, with art consultant Helen Macintyre.
Stephanie is allegedly one of two children he fathered as a result of an affair.
The Appeal Court ruled in 2014 that the public had a right to know that he had fathered a daughter during an adulterous liaison while Mayor of London in 2011 – but also mentioned the possibility of a second baby.
The three appeal court judges said: ‘It was not material to the judge’s conclusion whether contraceptive precautions were taken.
‘ What was material was that the father’s infidelities resulted in the conception of children on two occasions.
‘The judge was entitled to hold that this was of itself reckless behavior, regardless of whether any contraceptive precautions were taken. ‘
With the birth of his son in the early hours of this morning, (Boris Johnson
becomes only the fourth Prime Minister in 200 years to welcome a baby to Downing Street.
His fiancée Carrie Symonds , , is thought to be still in the NHS London hospital where she gave birth but will soon return to the four-bedroom flat she shares with Mr Johnson above No .
In doing so, the new family-of-three will be following in the footsteps of former Prime Ministers David Cameron and Tony Blair , who both became fathers while in office and had the highly unusual experience of raising children at Downing Street .
The Camerons welcomes youngest daughter Florence, now nine, shortly after the election, while Tony and Cherie had son Leo, now , in , three years after he was voted in for the first time.
With the birth of his son in the early hours of this morning, Boris Johnson becomes only the fourth Prime Minister in years to welcome a baby to Downing Street. David and Samantha Cameron welcomed daughter Florence in (left outside No
Mr Johnson, already a father of five, and Miss Symonds will no doubt want to put their own stamp on parenting as a Prime Minister, there are certainly lessons that can be learned from their predecessors. Pictured, the couple outside Downing Street in December , the fourth Prime Minister to become a father in office was First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Russell, whose second wife, Lady Russell, gave birth to two sons, George and Francis in 1967 and 1988, respectively.
While Mr Johnson, already a father of five, and Miss Symonds will no doubt want to put their own stamp on parenting as a Prime Minister, there are certainly lessons that can be learned from their predecessors.
From the Camerons ‘flair for interior design to the Blairs’ escapes to Checkers, here
Boris and Carrie’s home above No is spacious , with four bedrooms, a modern stainless steel kitchen and living area set in an open-plan arrangement designed by previous incumbent, Samantha Cameron. Pictured, Mrs Cameron hosting a breakfast club in the kitchen
A luxury kitchen fit for a yummy mummy
Cherie Blair had previously admitted that when she saw the kitchen at No 17, her heart sank because it was so outdated.
Samantha Cameron wasted no time in creating her own impression on the flat, with reports suggesting they had spent more than £ 888, 11 Making it look more modern in the Scandanavian, ‘minimalist’ style she is said to have favored.
Photos which later emerged of the interior showed £ 32, 11 kitchen with a £ 1, Flos Arco floor lamp, a £ (hood cooker by Sigma and a £ Hemnes black wooden dresser from IKEA.
The upgrades made the home much more comfortable – as well as photogenic – when the Camerons hosted the great and good, with the Obamas among many guests over their six-year tenure of the building.
A glimpse inside the flat when the US First Lady arrived in 2011 showed the Camerons had a lso installed a £ (coffee machine, a £ Magimix food processor and a smart £ 3, Britannia Sigma range oven.
Boris and Carrie chose to eschew the Prime Minister’s two-bedroom apartment above No. Downing Street in favor of living in the Chancellor’s larger, four-bedroom home above No. 17.
Up until now it has just been Boris and Carrie with Dilyn, their Jack Russell cross terrier, so there is potential to convert one of the rooms into a nursery, or accommodate a nanny.
The swap between the No 16 and No 17 flat was originally done Tony Blair, who chose the more spacious property on his election in 1999 in order to better accommodate his three children, Euan, Nicky and Kathryn. His youngest son, Leo, was born three years later in May .
The arrangement worked out especially well as Gordon Brown, the then Chancellor, was single at the time. He married wife Samantha in .
When the Camerons first arrived at Downing Street, the couple moved into the top floor Georgian flat above Number 17. But at the time of youngest daughter Florence’s birth in August 2014, they were planning to take up residence next door.
The early arrival of their new baby forced the family to move sooner than they had planned.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph one month after her birth, Mr Cameron revealed that Florence had been sleeping in a cardboard box.
He said: ‘Nancy [his daughter] made her a cardboard box when we were in Cornwall as we did not have a cot and decorated it and she’s still in the cardboard box. She’ll be able to say I was brought up in Downing Street in a cardboard box. ‘
The property also enjoys the benefit of a private lift – perfect for transporting a pram – and a private back staircase leads down to the garden, which is lovely and secluded.
Just beyond is St James’s Park, perfect for taking new baby Johnson for a stroll .
PIANO PRACTICE AND NIGHTS IN FRONT OF THE TV ) Tony Tony complained about the strains of bringing up a young family in Downing Street and his determination to protect his children from public scrutiny. He also said he and Cherie tried to keep a ‘normal’ life with nights in front of the TV and doing homework with the children. Pictured, with their children Nicky, Euan, Leo and Kathryn outside No (in The pampered. prince of Downing Street
Boris’s baby is likely to be mightily spoilt. Florence was very much in her element in Downing Street by all accounts.
‘She lived there for the first five years of her life and everyone who worked there loved her,’ an insider told the Daily Mail.
‘You are the little princess or, the princeling. The world revolves around you because of who your parents are. ‘
In her element: Florence Cameron, born in , at Downing Street
Boris’s baby is likely to be mightily spoilt. Florence was very much in her element in Downing Street by all accounts.
‘She lived there for the first five years of her life and everyone who worked there loved her,’ an insider told the Daily Mail.
‘You are the little princess or, the princeling. The world revolves around you because of who your parents are. ‘
In her element: Florence Cameron, born in , at Downing Street
The demands of a newborn baby and the sleepless nights he brings will no doubt add to the strain Mr Johnson already feels as Prime Minister during these unprecedented times.
However in time the family will settle into their own routine and will find their own way to balance a life together with the demands of Mr Johnson’s job.
Tony Blair complained about the strains of bringing up a young family in Downing Street and his determination to protect his children from public scrutiny.
But the Blairs did all they could to keep a normal routine, and spoke about eating supper with the children, overseeing homework, supervising piano practice and watching TV together when they could .
Cherie openly breast-fed her baby at Downing Street functions, which caused raised eyebrows, but times have moved on and Downing Street has a more modern outlook.
The Camerons also shared a playful photograph of daughter Florence sitting in the Red Box as a toddler.
Of course, depending on how long Mr Johnson is in office, his son might not remember his life spent at Downing Street.
While promoting his memoirs, For The Record, in October, Mr Cameron said Florence, leaving Downing Street in July , was hazy about his time in power.
Aged five at the time, she asked her father, who relayed the story at the Cheltenham Literature Festival: ‘Daddy, is it true, were you actually the Prime Minister?’
EARLY WEEKS OF UNCERTAINTY
The ongoing lockdown means that for Carrie, there will be no popping out to Boots for nappies, no taking the baby out for a stroll in the pram to a coffee shop. Baby supplies will need to be ordered and delivered in an operation that will require military planning.
However the scrutiny Downing Street and its residents are subjected to means it is far from a ‘normal’ experience for a new mother, even when the country is not in crisis.
Every time she steps out of the flat, she will be under minute scrutiny. Friends and family who want to come and see the baby will have to go through all the security rigmarole.
Which is why, perhaps, according to a well-informed Downing Street source, after Samantha Cameron gave birth to her daughter, Florence, in 2012 when her husband David was Prime Minister, she ‘went off the scene’ for a bit and went to stay with her parents.
‘It’s great in some ways,’ the insider told the Daily Mail. You’re surrounded by people. You’re not isolated, like some new mothers are. You’ve got all the mod cons.
‘It’s fine, but if I were Carrie I would spend as much time as possible out of Downing Street. It’s a workplace. The flat is very private, but you’re living above the shop. All the security arrangements make it incredibly hard for people to come and go. You are living in a fortress. It’s not normal. ‘
AN ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY Carrie may well find she prefers the space and seclusion afforded by other prime ministerial residences. The Blairs and their brood certainly maid the most of checkers, where they spent weekends and school holidays. Pictured, the PM’s country home in Buckinghamshire
Carrie may well find she prefers the space and seclusion afforded by other prime ministerial residences.
The couple recently spent time at Checkers, the Prime Minister’s 20 th-century country residence in Buckinghamshire, while Mr Johnson recovered from coronavirus. They have also spent time at Chevening, the country residence shared with Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary.
The Blairs and their brood certainly maid the most of Checkers, where they spent weekends and school holidays.
With its heated swimming pool and extensive grounds, the country retreat certainly offers plenty of space for a growing child to enjoy – and might offer new mother Carrie a welcome break from London life.
If the news that
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s fiancée Carrie Symonds, 53, today gave birth to a ‘healthy’ baby boy at an NHS hospital in London – weeks earlier than anticipated.
The news, announced just before 16 am this morning, quickly sent the hashtag #borisbaby soaring to the top of Twitter’s trending column.
While many posted memes showing the PM, , and his girlfriend whooping with delight, and saying the news gave the nation a much-needed moment of joy , others couldn’t resist referencing Mr Johnson’s expanding brood – with a mischievous Wikipedia editor changing the reference to how many children the PM has to an uncertain ‘6 or 7’.
Elsewhere, there were plenty of snaps of blonde-haired babies doing the rounds, as social media comedians suggested that Boris junior may have been born with a mop of unruly hair like his father’s.
Others showed dancing toddlers jigging with joy, suggesting that’s how Mr Johnson might feel at the prospect of two weeks of paternity leave, after just two days back at Number 17 following his battle with Covid – 23.
There was the gif of a cat furiously typing away, with its poster suggesting that it might be how ‘Eton’s administrative staff’ might look while adding the PM’s offspring to the private school’s waiting list.
Another kept in mind the couple’s ‘fur baby’, saying Dilyn would have a ‘beautiful friendship’ with the new baby.
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