Spouse of the prime minister of the United Kingdom

Last updated

Spouse of the Prime Minister
of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Victoria Starmer leave for NATO (crop to Vic).jpg
Current
Victoria, Lady Starmer
since 5 July 2024
Residence 10 Downing Street (customary)
Formation3 April 1721(303 years ago) (1721-04-03)
First holder Catherine, Lady Walpole

To date, forty-seven women and three men have been married to the British prime minister in office. There have also been four bachelor and nine widower prime ministers; the last bachelor was Edward Heath (1970–1974) and the last widower was Ramsay MacDonald (1924, 1929–1935). The Duke of Grafton (1768–1770) and Boris Johnson (2019–2022) are the only prime ministers to have divorced and remarried while in office.

Contents

The current prime minister, Keir Starmer, has been married to Victoria Starmer since 2007.

Role and duties

The role of the British prime minister's spouse is not an official one, and as such, they are not given a salary or official duties. Over time the position has evolved, and spouses such as Cherie Blair have gained public attention through their own independent careers and achievements, as well as attending engagements such as the African First Ladies Summit. [1]

Cherie Blair, with Cate Haste, wrote a book about recent prime ministerial spouses, The Goldfish Bowl: Married to the Prime Minister, 1955–1997, in 2005. [2]

List of spouses

ImageSpouseDate of birthDate of marriagePrime MinisterDate tenure beganAge at start of tenureDate tenure endedDate of death
Catherine Walpole (nee Shorter), Lady Walpole (cropped).jpg Catherine Walpole
( née  Shorter)
168230 Jul 1700 Robert Walpole 3 Apr 172138–39 years20 Aug 173720 Aug 1737
(Aged 54–55)
None (widower)Walpole20 Aug 17373 Mar 1738
No image.svg Maria Walpole
( née  Skerrett)
17023 Mar 1738Walpole3 Mar 173835–36 years4 Jun 17384 Jun 1738
(Aged 35–36)
None (widower)Walpole4 Jun 173811 Feb 1742
None (bachelor) Earl of Wilmington 16 Feb 17422 Jul 1743
No image.svg Lady Catherine Pelham
( née  Manners)
170629 Oct 1726 Henry Pelham 27 Aug 174336–37 years6 Mar 175418 Feb 1780
(Aged 73–74)
Henrietta (d 1776), wife of Thomas Pelham-Holles by Charles Jervas (cropped).jpg Duchess of Newcastle
(Harriet Pelham-Holles, née  Godolphin)
17012 Apr 1717 Duke of Newcastle 16 Mar 175452–53 years11 Nov 175617 Jul 1776
(Aged 74–75)
None [lower-alpha 1] (widower) Duke of Devonshire 16 Nov 175629 Jun 1757
Henrietta (d 1776), wife of Thomas Pelham-Holles by Charles Jervas (cropped).jpg Duchess of Newcastle
(Harriet Pelham-Holles, née  Godolphin)
17012 Apr 1717Duke of Newcastle29 Jun 175755–56 years26 May 176217 Jul 1776
(Aged 74–75)
Mary Stuart (1718-1794), Countess of Bute, after Sir Joshua Reynolds (cropped).jpg Countess of Bute
(Mary Stuart, née  Montagu)
19 Jan 171824 Aug 1736 Earl of Bute 26 May 176244 years8 Apr 17636 Nov 1794
(Aged 76)
No image.svg Elizabeth Grenville [lower-alpha 2]
( née  Wyndham)
17191 May 1749 George Grenville 16 Apr 176343–44 years10 Jul 17655 Dec 1769
(Aged 49–50)
Mary Bright (cropped).jpg Marchioness of Rockingham
(Mary Watson-Wentworth, née  Liddell)
173526 Feb 1752 Marquess of Rockingham 13 Jul 176529–30 years30 Jul 176619 Dec 1804
(Aged 68–69)
Hester (nee Grenville) Countess of Chatham (1721-1803) (cropped).jpg Countess of Chatham [lower-alpha 3]
(Hester Pitt, née  Grenville)
8 Nov 172016 Oct 1754 Earl of Chatham 30 Jul 176645 years14 Oct 17689 Apr 1803
(Aged 82)
Lucas, David - Anne, Duchess of Grafton (cropped).jpg Duchess of Grafton
(Anne FitzRoy, née  Liddell)
173729 Jan 1756 Duke of Grafton 14 Oct 176830–31 years23 Mar 17691804
(Aged 66–67)
None (divorcee)Grafton23 Mar 176924 Jun 1769
Thomas Gainsborough - Elizabeth Wrottesley, later Duchess of Grafton - Google Art Project (cropped).jpg Duchess of Grafton [lower-alpha 4]
(Elizabeth FitzRoy, née  Wrottesley)
1 Nov 174524 Jun 1769Grafton24 Jun 176923 years28 Jan 177025 May 1822
(Aged 76)
Anne, wife of Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guildford, after Joshua Reynolds (cropped).jpg Lady North
(Anne North, née  Speke)
174120 May 1756 Lord North 28 Jan 177028–29 years27 Mar 17821797
(Aged 55–56)
Mary Bright (cropped).jpg Marchioness of Rockingham
(Mary Watson-Wentworth, née  Liddell)
173526 Feb 1752Marquess of Rockingham27 Mar 178246–47 years1 Jul 178219 Dec 1804
(Aged 68–69)
A catalogue of the pictures and drawings in the National loan exhibition, in aid of National gallery funds, held in the Grafton Galleries, London (1909-1910) (1909) (14760399621).jpg Countess of Shelburne [lower-alpha 5]
(Louisa Petty, née  FitzPatrick)
175519 Jul 1779 Earl of Shelburne 4 Jul 178226–27 years26 Mar 17837 Aug 1789
(Aged 33–34)
Dorothy Cavendish, wife of William Cavendish Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738-1809) by George Romney (cropped).jpg Duchess of Portland [lower-alpha 6]
(Dorothy Bentinck, née  Cavendish)
27 Aug 17508 Nov 1766 Duke of Portland 2 Apr 178332 years18 Dec 17833 Jun 1794
(Aged 43)
None (bachelor) William Pitt 19 Dec 178314 Mar 1801
Ursula Addington
( née  Hammond)
175919 Sep 1781 Henry Addington 17 Mar 180141–42 years10 May 180428 Jun 1811
(Aged 51–52)
None (bachelor)William Pitt10 May 180423 Jan 1806
Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun - Portrait of Anna Pitt as Hebe - WGA25079 (cropped).jpg Baroness Grenville
(Anne Grenville, née  Pitt)
Sep 177218 Jul 1792 Lord Grenville 11 Feb 180633 years25 Mar 1807Jun 1864
(Aged 91)
None [lower-alpha 7] (widower)Duke of Portland31 Mar 18074 Oct 1809
Portrait of Mrs. Spencer Perceval by Elisabeth-Louise Vigee Le Brun.jpg Jane Perceval
( née  Wilson)
21 Sep 176910 Aug 1790 Spencer Perceval 4 Oct 180940 years11 May 181226 Jan 1844
(Aged 74)
Louisa Hervey by George Romney (detail).jpg Countess of Liverpool
(Louisa Jenkinson, née  Hervey)
Feb 176725 Mar 1795 Earl of Liverpool 8 Jun 181245 years12 Jun 182112 Jun 1821
(Aged 54)
None (widower)Liverpool12 Jun 182124 Sep 1822
No image.svg Countess of Liverpool
(Mary Jenkinson, née  Chester)
24 Jun 177724 Sep 1822Liverpool24 Sep 182245 years9 Apr 182718 Oct 1846
(Aged 69)
No image.svg Joan Canning
( née  Scott)
17768 Jul 1800 George Canning 12 Apr 182750–51 years8 Aug 182714 Mar 1837
(Aged 60–61)
Sarah Countess of Ripon 1849 2 (cropped).jpg Viscountess Goderich
(Sarah Robinson, née  Hobart)
22 Feb 17931 Sep 1814 Viscount Goderich 31 Aug 182734 years8 Jan 18289 Apr 1867
(Aged 74)
Catherine Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington (cropped).jpg Duchess of Wellington
(Catherine Wellesley, née  Pakenham)
14 Jan 177310 Apr 1806 Duke of Wellington 22 Jan 182855 years16 Nov 183024 Apr 1831
(Aged 58)
Lady-Caroline-Barrington-ne-Grey-Lady-Georgiana-Grey-Mary-Elizabeth-Grey-ne-Ponsonby-Countess-Grey (cropped) (cropped).jpg Countess Grey
(Mary Grey, née  Ponsonby)
4 Mar 177618 Nov 1794 Earl Grey 22 Nov 183054 years9 Jul 183426 Nov 1861
(Aged 85)
None [lower-alpha 8] (widower) Viscount Melbourne 16 Jul 183414 Nov 1834
None [lower-alpha 9] (widower)Duke of Wellington17 Nov 18349 Dec 1834
Julia, Lady Peel - Lawrence 1827 (cropped).jpg Julia Peel
( née  Floyd)
17958 Jun 1820 Robert Peel 10 Dec 183438–39 years8 Apr 183527 Oct 1859
(Aged 63–64)
None [lower-alpha 8] (widower)Viscount Melbourne18 Apr 183530 Aug 1841
Julia, Lady Peel - Lawrence 1827 (cropped).jpg Julia Peel
( née  Floyd)
17958 Jun 1820Robert Peel30 Aug 184145–46 years29 Jun 184627 Oct 1859
(Aged 63–64)
Frances Elliot Murray Kynynmound (cropped).png Lady John Russell [lower-alpha 10]
(Frances Russell, née  Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound)
15 Nov 181520 Jul 1841 Lord John Russell 30 Jun 184630 years21 Feb 185217 Jan 1898
(Aged 82)
Emma Bootle Wilbraham (cropped).jpg Countess of Derby
(Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, née  Bootle-Wilbraham)
17 Mar 180531 May 1825 Earl of Derby 23 Feb 185246 years17 Dec 18521876
(Aged 70–71)
None [lower-alpha 11] (widower) Earl of Aberdeen 19 Dec 185230 Jan 1855
Emily Lamb by William Owen (cropped).jpg Viscountess Palmerston [lower-alpha 12]
(Emily Temple, née  Lamb)
178716 Dec 1839 Viscount Palmerston 6 Feb 185567–68 years19 Feb 18581869
(Aged 81–82)
Emma Bootle Wilbraham (cropped).jpg Countess of Derby
(Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, née  Bootle-Wilbraham)
17 Mar 180531 May 1825Earl of Derby20 Feb 185852 years11 Jun 18591876
(Aged 70–71)
Emily Lamb by William Owen (cropped).jpg Viscountess Palmerston
(Emily Temple, née  Lamb)
178716 Dec 1839Viscount Palmerston12 Jun 185971–72 years18 Oct 18651869
(Aged 81–82)
Frances Elliot Murray Kynynmound (cropped).png Countess Russell [lower-alpha 10]
(Frances Russell, née  Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound)
15 Nov 181520 Jul 1841 Earl Russell 29 Oct 186549 years26 Jun 186617 Jan 1898
(Aged 82)
Emma Bootle Wilbraham (cropped).jpg Countess of Derby
(Emma Caroline Smith-Stanley, née  Bootle-Wilbraham)
17 Mar 180531 May 1825Earl of Derby28 Jun 186661 years25 Feb 18681876
(Aged 70–71)
Mary anne disraeli.JPG Mary Anne Disraeli [lower-alpha 13]
( née  Evans)
11 Nov 179228 Aug 1839 Benjamin Disraeli 27 Feb 186875 years1 Dec 186815 Dec 1872
(Aged 80)
Catherine Gladstone (nee Glynne) (cropped).jpg Catherine Gladstone
( née  Glynne)
6 Jan 181225 Jul 1839 William Ewart Gladstone 3 Dec 186856 years17 Feb 187414 Jun 1900
(Aged 88)
None [lower-alpha 14] (widower)Benjamin Disraeli20 Feb 187421 Apr 1880
Catherine Gladstone (nee Glynne) (cropped).jpg Catherine Gladstone
( née  Glynne)
6 Jan 181225 Jul 1839William Ewart Gladstone23 Apr 188068 years9 Jun 188514 Jun 1900
(Aged 88)
Georgina-Gascoyne-Cecil-ne-Alderson-Marchioness-of-Salisbury (cropped).jpg Marchioness of Salisbury
(Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, née  Alderson)
182711 Jul 1857 Marquess of Salisbury 23 Jun 188557–58 years28 Jan 188620 Nov 1899
(Aged 71–72)
Catherine Gladstone (nee Glynne) (cropped).jpg Catherine Gladstone
( née  Glynne)
6 Jan 181225 Jul 1839William Ewart Gladstone1 Feb 188674 years20 Jul 188614 Jun 1900
(Aged 88)
Georgina-Gascoyne-Cecil-ne-Alderson-Marchioness-of-Salisbury (cropped).jpg Marchioness of Salisbury
(Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, née  Alderson)
182711 Jul 1857Marquess of Salisbury25 Jul 188658–59 years11 Aug 189220 Nov 1899
(Aged 71–72)
Catherine Gladstone (nee Glynne) (cropped).jpg Catherine Gladstone
( née  Glynne)
6 Jan 181225 Jul 1839William Ewart Gladstone15 Aug 189280 years2 Mar 189414 Jun 1900
(Aged 88)
None [lower-alpha 15] (widower) Earl of Rosebery 5 Mar 189422 Jun 1895
Georgina-Gascoyne-Cecil-ne-Alderson-Marchioness-of-Salisbury (cropped).jpg Marchioness of Salisbury
(Georgina Gascoyne-Cecil, née  Alderson)
182711 Jul 1857Marquess of Salisbury25 Jun 189567–68 years20 Nov 189920 Nov 1899
(Aged 71–72)
None (widower)Salisbury20 Nov 189911 Jul 1902
None (bachelor) Arthur Balfour 12 Jul 19024 Dec 1905
LADY CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (cropped).jpg Charlotte Campbell-Bannerman
( née  Bruce)
10 May 183213 Sep 1860 Henry Campbell-Bannerman 5 Dec 190572–73 years30 Aug 190630 Aug 1906
(Aged 73–74)
None (widower)Campbell-Bannerman30 Aug 19065 Apr 1908
Margaret-Emma-Alice-Margot-Asquith-ne-Tennant-Countess-of-Oxford-and-Asquith.jpg Margot Asquith [lower-alpha 16]
( née  Tennant)
2 Feb 186410 May 1894 H. H. Asquith 5 Apr 190844 years5 Dec 191628 Jul 1945
(Aged 81)
Margaret Lloyd George in 1919 (cropped).jpg Margaret Lloyd George
( née  Owen)
4 Nov 186424 Jan 1888 David Lloyd George 6 Dec 191652 years19 Oct 192220 Jan 1941
(Aged 76)
None [lower-alpha 17] (widower) Bonar Law 23 Oct 192220 May 1923
Lucy-ne-Ridsdale-Countess-Baldwin.jpg Lucy Baldwin
( née  Ridsdale)
19 Jun 186912 Sep 1892 Stanley Baldwin 22 May 192353 years22 Jan 192417 Jun 1945
(Aged 75)
None [lower-alpha 18] (widower) Ramsay MacDonald 22 Jan 19244 Nov 1924
Lucy-ne-Ridsdale-Countess-Baldwin.jpg Lucy Baldwin
( née  Ridsdale)
19 Jun 186912 Sep 1892Stanley Baldwin4 Nov 192455 years4 Jun 192917 Jun 1945
(Aged 75)
None [lower-alpha 18] (widower)Ramsay MacDonald5 Jun 19297 Jun 1935
Lucy-ne-Ridsdale-Countess-Baldwin.jpg Lucy Baldwin
( née  Ridsdale)
19 Jun 186912 Sep 1892Stanley Baldwin7 Jun 193565 years28 May 193717 Jun 1945
(Aged 75)
Anne-Vere-Chamberlain-ne-Cole.jpg Anne Chamberlain
( née  Cole)
1 Jun 18825 Jan 1911 Neville Chamberlain 28 May 193753–54 years10 May 194012 Feb 1967
(Aged 83–84)
Clementine Churchill 1915.jpg Clementine Churchill
( née  Hozier)
1 Apr 188512 Sep 1908 Winston Churchill 10 May 194055 years26 Jul 194512 Dec 1977
(Aged 92)
Violet-Helen-ne-Millar-Countess-Attlee.jpg Violet Attlee
( née  Millar)
20 Nov 189510 Jan 1922 Clement Attlee 26 Jul 194549 years26 Oct 19517 Jun 1964
(Aged 68)
Clementine Churchill 1915.jpg Clementine Churchill
( née  Hozier)
1 Apr 188512 Sep 1908Winston Churchill26 Oct 195166 years5 Apr 195512 Dec 1977
(Aged 92)
Clarissa Eden.jpg Clarissa Eden [lower-alpha 19]
( née  Spencer-Churchill)
28 Jun 192014 Aug 1952 Anthony Eden 6 Apr 195534 years9 Jan 195715 Nov 2021
(Aged 101)
Lady-Dorothy-Evelyn-Macmillan-ne-Cavendish (retouched greyscale).jpg Lady Dorothy Macmillan
( née  Cavendish)
28 Jul 190021 Apr 1920 Harold Macmillan 10 Jan 195756 years18 Oct 196321 May 1966
(Aged 65)
Elizabeth Douglas-Home (retouched).jpg Elizabeth Douglas-Home
( née  Alington)
6 Nov 19093 Oct 1936 Alec Douglas-Home 19 Oct 196353 years16 Oct 19643 Sep 1990
(Aged 80)
Mary Wilson, Baroness Wilson of Rievaulx 1970.tif Mary Wilson
( née  Baldwin)
12 Jan 19161 Jan 1940 Harold Wilson 16 Oct 196448 years19 Jun 19706 Jun 2018
(Aged 102)
None (bachelor) Edward Heath 19 Jun 19704 Mar 1974
Mary Wilson, Baroness Wilson of Rievaulx 1970.tif Mary Wilson
( née  Baldwin)
12 Jan 19161 Jan 1940Harold Wilson4 Mar 197458 years5 Apr 19766 Jun 2018
(Aged 102)
Audrey Callaghan - NARA - 178489.tif Audrey Callaghan
( née  Moulton)
28 Jul 191528 Jul 1938 James Callaghan 5 Apr 197660 years4 May 197915 Mar 2005
(Aged 89)
Denis Thatcher (cropped).jpg Denis Thatcher [lower-alpha 20] 10 May 191513 Dec 1951 Margaret Thatcher 4 May 197963 years28 Nov 199026 Jun 2003
(Aged 88)
No image.svg Norma Major
( née  Wagstaff,
formerly Johnson
)
12 Feb 19423 Oct 1970 John Major 28 Nov 199048 years2 May 1997Living
(Age 82)
Cherie Blair Jimmy Wales Allan Warren (cropped).JPG Cherie Blair
( née  Booth)
23 Sep 195429 Mar 1980 Tony Blair 2 May 199742 years27 Jun 2007Living
(Age 69)
Gordon and Sarah Brown (cropped).jpg Sarah Brown
( née  Macaulay) [3]
31 Oct 19633 Aug 2000 Gordon Brown 27 Jun 200743 years11 May 2010Living
(Age 60)
Armed Forces Full Honor Cordon and State Dinner for United Kingdom 120314-A-WP504-075 (cropped).jpg Samantha Cameron
( née  Sheffield) [4]
18 Apr 19711 Jun 1996 David Cameron 11 May 201039 years13 Jul 2016Living
(Age 53)
Philip May in 2019.jpg Philip May [5] 18 Sep 19576 Sep 1980 Theresa May 13 Jul 201658 years24 Jul 2019Living
(Age 66)
No image.svg Marina Wheeler
(separated) [lower-alpha 21] [lower-alpha 22]
18 Aug 19648 May 1993 Boris Johnson 24 Jul 201954 years2020 [7] Living
(Age 59)
None (divorcee)Johnson202029 May 2021
Boris Johnson's last day as prime minister (cropped).jpg Carrie Johnson
( née  Symonds) [8]
17 Mar 198829 May 2021Johnson29 May 202133 years6 Sep 2022Living
(Age 36)
Hugh O'Leary 2.jpg Hugh O'Leary [9] 19 Jul 19742000 Liz Truss 6 Sep 202248 years25 Oct 2022Living
(Age 49)
Akshata Murty hosts a Lessons at 10 Downing Street for International Women's Day on 8 March 2024 - 42 (cropped).jpg Akshata Murty [10] 25 Apr 19802009 Rishi Sunak 25 Oct 202242 years5 Jul 2024Living
(Age 44)
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Victoria Starmer leave for NATO (crop to Vic).jpg Victoria Starmer
( née  Alexander) [11]
1973/19746 May 2007 Keir Starmer 5 Jul 202450 yearsLiving
(Age 50–51)

See also

Notes

  1. Devonshire's wife Charlotte died in 1754.
  2. Mother of Lord Grenville.
  3. Mother of William Pitt the Younger.
  4. Grafton's second marriage after Anne Liddell.
  5. Shelburne's second marriage after Sophia Carteret.
  6. Daughter of the Duke of Devonshire.
  7. Portland's wife Lady Dorothy died in 1794.
  8. 1 2 Melbourne's wife Lady Caroline died in 1828.
  9. Wellington's wife Catherine died in 1831.
  10. 1 2 Russell's second marriage after Adelaide Lister.
  11. Aberdeen's first wife Catherine died in 1812 and his second wife Harriet died in 1833.
  12. Emily's second marriage after the Earl Cowper. Sister of the Viscount Melbourne.
  13. Mary's second marriage after Wyndham Lewis.
  14. Disraeli's wife Mary died in 1872.
  15. Rosebery's wife Hannah died in 1890.
  16. Asquith's second marriage after Helen Melland.
  17. Law's wife Annie died in 1909.
  18. 1 2 MacDonald's wife Margaret died in 1911.
  19. Eden's second marriage after Beatrice Beckett.
  20. First male spouse. Thatcher's second marriage after Margot Kempson.
  21. Johnson's second marriage after Allegra Mostyn-Owen. [6]
  22. Wheeler was never in any official role as spouse of the prime minister as she and Johnson separated and began divorce proceedings in 2018. [lower-alpha 23] Their divorce was finalised by November 2020. [lower-alpha 24]
  23. "Boris Johnson and wife to divorce". BBC News. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  24. Coke, Hope (9 November 2020). "Marina Wheeler opens up about life post-Boris Johnson". Tatler. Retrieved 22 November 2020.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prime Minister's Questions</span> UK parliamentary practice

Prime Minister's Questions is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom, currently held as a single session every Wednesday at noon when the House of Commons is sitting, during which the prime minister answers questions from members of Parliament (MPs).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cherie Blair</span> British barrister (born 1954)

Cherie, Lady Blair,, also known professionally as Cherie Booth, is an English barrister and writer. She is the spouse of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton</span> 11th Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1768 to 1770

Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton,, styled Earl of Euston between 1747 and 1757, was a British Whig statesman of the Georgian era. He is one of a handful of dukes who have served as prime minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11 Downing Street</span> Official residence of Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer

11 Downing Street in London, also known colloquially in the United Kingdom as Number 11, is the official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The residence, in Downing Street in London, was built alongside the official residence of the Prime Minister at Number 10 in 1682.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Records of prime ministers of the United Kingdom</span>

The article lists the records of prime ministers of the United Kingdom since 1721.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Douglas-Home</span> Wife of Alec Douglas-Home

Elizabeth Hester Douglas-Home, Baroness Home of the Hirsel was the wife of British politician and prime minister Alec Douglas-Home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarissa Eden</span> English memoirist (1920–2021)

Anne Clarissa Eden, Countess of Avon was an English memoirist and the second wife of Anthony Eden, who served as British prime minister from 1955 to 1957. She married Eden in 1952, becoming Lady Eden in 1954 when he was made a Knight of the Garter, before becoming Countess of Avon in 1961 when her husband was created Earl of Avon. She was also Winston Churchill's niece. In 2007, at 87, she released her memoir subtitled From Churchill to Eden.

Marina Claire Wheeler is a British lawyer and writer. As a barrister, she specialises in public law, including human rights, and is a member of the Bar Disciplinary Tribunal. She was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boris Johnson</span> Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He was previously Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018 and Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Henley from 2001 to 2008 and Uxbridge and South Ruislip from 2015 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Smith (politician)</span> British politician (born 1971)

Sir Julian Richard Smith, is a British Conservative politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Skipton and Ripon since 2010. He served as Government Chief Whip from 2017 to 2019 and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2019 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sue Gray (political adviser)</span> British former civil servant (born 1957)

Susan Gray is a British special adviser and former civil servant who has served as Downing Street Chief of Staff under Prime Minister Keir Starmer since 2024, having previously served under Starmer as Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition from 2023 to 2024.

Catherine Haste, Lady Bragg was an English author, biographer, historian and documentary film director, who worked freelance for major television networks in the UK and US over a period of 40 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrie Johnson</span> Media advisor, married to Boris Johnson

Caroline Louise Beavan Johnson is an English media consultant and is married to Boris Johnson. She is the daughter of Matthew Symonds, co-founder of The Independent.

Dilyn is a dog which lived with former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie during their time at 10 Downing Street. He is a white, male Jack Russell cross and was born in 2018.

Allegra Mostyn-Owen is a British journalist and teacher. She was the first wife of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Lara Lettice Johnson-Wheeler is a British arts and fashion journalist. She is the daughter of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his second wife Marina Wheeler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Partygate</span> British political scandal

Partygate is a political scandal in the United Kingdom about gatherings of government and Conservative Party staff during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, when public health restrictions prohibited most gatherings. The scandal contributed to Boris Johnson's downfall as Prime Minister and his resignation as an MP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis</span> Crisis that led to the end of Boris Johnsons premiership

In early July 2022, 62 of the United Kingdom's 179 government ministers, parliamentary private secretaries, trade envoys, and party vice-chairmen resigned from their positions in the second administration formed by Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, culminating in Johnson's resignation on 7 July. Johnson's premiership had been considered in danger for months after several scandals, but it was the Chris Pincher scandal that was identified to have spurred on the resignations. Considered the "last straw" for the Prime Minister, the scandal arose after it was revealed that Johnson had promoted his Deputy Chief Government Whip Chris Pincher, who was publicly facing multiple allegations of sexual assault, to the position despite knowing of the allegations beforehand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Starmer</span> Spouse of the British Prime Minister since 2024

Victoria, Lady Starmer is the wife of Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She previously worked as a solicitor and currently works for the National Health Service (NHS) as an occupational health worker.

References

  1. Mwanzi, Josephat (2 July 2013). "The first ladies club: Obama and Bush share stage in Africa". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  2. Booth, Cherie; Cate, Haste (2005). The Goldfish Bowl: Married To The Prime Minister, 1955–1997 . Random House. ISBN   978-0-09-946202-6.
  3. "Sarah Brown: The new 'first lady'". BBC News. 28 June 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  4. "Profile: Samantha Cameron". BBC News. 14 February 2006. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  5. "Profile: Theresa May's husband Philip". BBC News. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  6. Gillett, Francesca & Lucy Webster (29 April 2020). "Carrie Symonds: Who is Boris Johnson's fiancee?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 December 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  7. Shearing, Hazel & Kathryn Snowdon (30 May 2021). "Boris Johnson marries Carrie Symonds at Westminster Cathedral". BBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  8. Silverman, Rosa; Chandler-Wilde, Helen (5 September 2022). "Liz Truss's 'stoic' husband doesn't want 'massive public role'" . The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  9. Cope, Rebecca; Davies-Evitt, Dora (25 October 2022). "Meet Indian heiress Akshata Murty, the new Prime Minster[sic] Rishi Sunak's wife". Tatler. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  10. Wheeler, Caroline (6 July 2024). "Victoria Starmer: the PM's 'rock' who is dreading Downing Street" . The Sunday Times. Retrieved 11 July 2024.