The news today that Boris Johnson’s girlfriend Carrie Symonds is pregnant, and that the pair are engaged, marks the latest chapter in the PM’s turbulent love life.
His first marriage at the age of 23 to Allegra Mostyn-Owen in 1987 collapsed six years later after it emerged he was having an affair with childhood friend Marina Wheeler.
Boris’s subsequent marriage to Marina lasted 25 years – during which he had affairs with three women.
Here, we outline the Prime Minister’s colourful past relationships – as well as his links to one alleged lover of his – former pole dancer, and tech guru, Jennifer Arcuri.
1987: The first wife, Allegra Mostyn-Owen, whom he met at Oxford
Boris married his Oxford University sweetheart Allegra Mostyn-Owen in 1987 when they were both aged 23.
They divorced in 1993 after his affair with the woman who would become his second wife, Marina Wheeler.
Boris Johnson married Oxford University sweetheart Allegra Mostyn-Owen (pictured together) in 1987 when they were both aged 23
The couple (above) divorced in 1993 after his affair with the woman who would become his second wife, Marina Wheeler
The daughter of renowned art historian William Mostyn-Owen and flamboyant Italian writer Gaia Servadio, Allegra was a socialite and former Tatler cover girl whose beauty had besotted young men falling at her feet at Oxford University.
‘When we got married, that was actually the end of the relationship instead of the beginning,’ Allegra would later say.
Their relationship ended after six years following revelations of his affair with Marina Wheeler QC, who was a childhood friend of Boris.
Marina became pregnant with the first of their four children before his divorce from Allegra was finalised.
Johnson later reconciled with Mostyn-Owen before they separated in February 1990 and divorced in 1993 – just 12 days before he married Marina Wheeler, whom he had a child with five weeks later.
1993: Boris marries Marina Wheeler – the woman who stood by him for years… but left her just as he was on the brink of becoming PM
Marina Wheeler married Boris on May 8, 1993 – just 12 days after his divorce from Allegra was finalised on April 26.
Together, Boris and Marina have four children: Lara Lettice, Milo Arthur, Cassia Peaches and Theodore Apollo.
After first meeting Boris at the European School of Brussels, they also attended private boarding school Bedales in Hampshire together before she went to Cambridge.
Marina Wheeler married Boris married on May 8, 1993 – just 12 days after his divorce from Allegra was finalised on April 26. (The pair are pictured in 2015)
Together, Boris and Marina (above, in 2008) have four children: Lara Lettice, Milo Arthur, Cassia Peaches and Theodore Apollo
Born in Berlin in 1964, she is of English and Indian Sikh descent. After being called to the bar in 1987, Marina returned to London.
Marina and Boris met again in London when they were both in their mid-twenties.
The couple remained married for 25 years despite Boris’s spectacularly colourful love life.
Marina endured multiple public humiliations over Boris’s well-publicised affairs – locking her high profile husband out of the house more than once – only to forgive him, prior to their final split in 2018.
The affairs
2004: Petronella Wyatt and the ‘inverted pyramid of piffle’
In 2004, Boris’s four-year affair with journalist and society author Petronella Wyatt (pictured), the daughter of Labour grandee Lord Wyatt, became public
Around seven years into his marriage to Marina, she became aware that Boris was having an affair with Petronella Wyatt, daughter of Margaret Thatcher’s favourite journalist Woodrow Wyatt.
In 2004, it was reported that ‘Petsy’ may have had an abortion, to which Boris declared to The Mail on Sunday: ‘I had not had an affair with Petronella.
‘It is complete balderdash. It is an inverted pyramid of piffle.’
Boris was soon found to be lying and after days of publicity, Tory leader Michael Howard sacked Johnson from his position as Shadow Culture Minister.
2006: Emergence of liaisons with Anna Fazackerley
In 2006, it emerged Boris had been having an affair with journalist Anna Fazackerley (above)
Alongside this, Marina was also alerted to another affair that Boris had been having with journalist Anna Fazackerley, which emerged in 2006.
When the affairs garnered publicity, it also became public knowledge that Marina had become pregnant at the time that Boris was still married to Allegra, who was quoted saying: ‘I divorced him for adultery. It enabled him to marry Marina.’
The divorce had been finalised on April 26, 1993 and Boris married Marina on May 8 of the same year, with Lara Johnson being born on June 12.
Marina threw her husband out of their home after his affair with Anna was publicised, but they soon worked things out.
2009: The love child with Helen Macintyre
Mr Johnson is said to have fathered a child with art consultant Helen Macintyre (pictured) in 2009. It is understood Miss Wheeler again kicked him out of the family home
In 2009, Mr Johnson is said to have fathered a child with art consultant Helen Macintyre.
It is understood Mrs Wheeler had, again, kicked him out of the family home at the time.
Mr Johnson’s fatherhood of Miss Macintyre’s daughter was first revealed by the Daily Mail in July 2010.
In 2013, a court ruled that it was in the public interest for the Press to report Mr Johnson was the father.
The children – and just how many Boris has
‘How many children do you have, Prime Minister?’
It may seem extraordinary that this is a question journalists would ask of a British Prime Minister – but even more bizarre is that he has yet to answer it.
We know he and Ms Wheeler have four older children – Lara, Milo Arthur, Cassia Peaches, and Theodore Apollo.
Johnson with his ex-wife Marina Wheeler and daughter Lara Johnson as she votes for the first time in May 2012
Lara Johnson, who is only five years younger than Boris’s girlfriend Miss Symonds, reportedly branded her father a ‘selfish b******’ after his split with her mother.
In 2004, his four-year affair with journalist and society author Petronella Wyatt, the daughter of Labour grandee Lord Wyatt, came to public attention.
She later told how she had an abortion and suffered a miscarriage.
Mr Johnson was sacked from his role as shadow arts minister by then-Tory leader Michael Howard for lying about the relationship – Mr Johnson dismissed the allegations as ‘an inverted pyramid of piffle’.
Mr Howard’s spokesman said the issue was one of ‘personal morality’.
In 2006 the News of the World reported Mr Johnson had had an affair with journalist Anna Fazackerley.
And in 2009, Boris fathered a fifth child with art consultant Helen Macintyre.
Ms Macintyre’s child 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 2009 – 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 behaviour, regardless of whether any contraceptive precautions were taken.’
While the exact number of Boris’s children remains unknown it will continue to haunt him as a reminder to the press and the public of just how uncomfortable this Prime Minister can be facing direct questions.
Police probe into Boris’s links with his alleged lover Jennifer Arcuri
Mr Johnson has faced two separate inquiries over his relationship with American former pole dancer and tech entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri, 34, while he was Mayor of London, both of which were put on hold during the election.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been evaluating whether to investigate the Prime Minister for possible criminal offence of misconduct in public office since September.
The watchdog confirmed it was doing a ‘scoping exercise’ to track down witnesses globally, and said that it had ‘never put a timescale on how long this process would take’, according to the Observer.
Mr Johnson has faced two separate inquiries over his relationship with American former pole dancer and tech entrepreneur Jennifer Arcuri (pictured), 34, while he was Mayor of London, both of which were put on hold during the election
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has been evaluating whether to investigate the Prime Minister for possible criminal offence of misconduct in public office since September. (Above, Ms Arcuri strikes a pose)
Boris Johnson and Jennifer Arcuri pictured together on October 14, 2014. The PM faces intense scrutiny about their relationship
In a statement, the IPOC said that the allegation date back ‘eight years’ and they have to ‘locate and speak with a number of potential witnesses both in the country and abroad’.
Mr Johnson has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to his friendship with Ms Arcuri.
On October 3 last year, Ms Arcuri told the Daily Mail she had ‘every right’ to go on trade missions with Mr Johnson. She calls all the allegations false, saying she is a ‘legitimate businesswoman’.
It follows a report by The Sunday Times that Ms Arcuri, an American who moved to London seven years ago, was given £126,000 in public money and was treated to privileged access to three foreign trade missions led by Mr Johnson while he was mayor.
The Government has since frozen a £100,000 grant to Ms Arcuri’s company, Hacker House, pending a review.
It is facing embarrassing questions about the verification process carried out before awarding the money.
Digital Minister Matt Warman told the Commons that his department had done the ‘usual due diligence’ and that the company had a British phone number.
However, numerous reports said calls to the number were directed to an office in California, where Ms Arcuri, 34, is said to now be based.
Boris Johnson’s divorce from Marina Wheeler
Boris Johnson and his estranged wife Marina Wheeler agreed a divorce settlement on February 18 this year, following a legal dispute over money.
Judge Sarah Gibbons oversaw a private hearing in the Central Family Court in London, which neither party attended.
During the short hearing, she gave Ms Wheeler permission to apply for a Decree Absolute, which would bring the marriage to an end.
A case number revealed Mr Johnson, who is now living with Carrie Symonds at Downing Street, and Ms Wheeler were involved in a dispute over money or assets.
Marina Claire Wheeler was named as the ‘petitioner’ and ‘applicant’ in the case, while Alexander Boris De Pfeffel Johnson was named as the ‘respondent’.
Mr Johnson was said to have had £6.5million in cash and assets as of September 2018, but will have likely seen his wealth rise since becoming Prime Minister last July.
It is therefore plausible that Ms Wheeler will be receiving around £4million if it is an equal split. However, the judge said no detail from the case relating to money can be revealed in reports, apart from what is already in the public domain.
Judge Gibbons gave Ms Wheeler permission to apply for the decree absolute ‘out of time’.
This suggests that she was granted a decree nisi by the courts more than a year ago.
Those who are successfully granted a decree nisi have up to a year to apply for the next stage of divorce, the decree absolute.
Keep calm and Carrie on! Boris and Carrie Symonds announce their engagement – and that she’s pregnant
Boris Johnson finally settled his divorce with estranged wife Marina Wheeler just 11 days before announcing he and girlfriend Carrie Symonds are engaged and expecting a baby.
A spokesperson for the couple said: ‘The Prime Minister and Miss Symonds are very pleased to announce their engagement and that they are expecting a baby in the early summer.’
Mr Johnson, 55, and Miss Symonds, 31, made history as the first unmarried couple to officially live together in Downing Street when they moved in last year.
Ms Symonds, a conservationist and former Conservative Party communications chief, first found herself making headlines when she was romantically linked to Mr Johnson earlier in 2019.
Mr Johnson, 55, and Carrie Symonds, 31, made history as the first unmarried couple to officially live together in Downing Street when they moved in last year
But her association with Mr Johnson dates back to when she worked on his successful re-election bid at City Hall in 2012.
An early summer birth would suggest the new arrival was conceived during the Autumn, around the time that the October 31 Brexit deadline was extended.
Sajid Javid, who quit as chancellor earlier this month following a dispute with Mr Johnson, was among MPs congratulating the couple on Twitter.
He said: ‘Congratulations @carriesymonds @BorisJohnson wonderful news!’
But not all politicians were so fulsome.
An early summer birth would suggest the new arrival was conceived during the Autumn, around the time that the October 31 Brexit deadline was extended. Above, the pair following his keynote speech on day four of the Conservative Party Conference at Manchester Central on October 2, 2019
Labour MP Florence Eshalomi queried the timing of the announcement, appearing to reference Sir Philip Rutnam’s resignation from the Home Office some hours earlier.
She tweeted: ‘Very convenient for this news to be announced today.’
The new arrival will be the third baby born to a serving Prime Minister in recent history.
Tony Blair’s wife Cherie gave birth to son Leo in May 2000, three years after her husband’s first election victory.
Conservative prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha welcomed daughter Florence Rose Endellion Cameron into the world in 2010, three months after Mr Cameron had formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats after that year’s general election produced a hung parliament.
The last babies born to prime ministers before Leo and Florence arrived more than 150 years ago.
Lord John Russell’s wife Lady Russell gave birth to two sons, George and Francis, during her husband’s first stint in office between 1846 and 1852.
Mr Johnson’s union with Miss Symonds will be his third marriage.