SUSAN DEVANEY

Carrie Symonds is an ambitious animal lover who cares about the environment and shops the Great British high street. So far, so millennial. But she’s also in a unique position as the first unmarried partner of a British Prime Minister in the nation’s history. As we wait to see just how the former Conservative communications chief’s role in Boris Johnson’s inner circle will play out now he’s taken up residence in Number 10, Vogue reflects on what we know so far about Westminster’s most-watched woman.

f Carrie Symonds moves into 10 Downing Street she will officially become the first live-in girlfriend of any Prime Minister in British history. Boris Johnson, who became PM on July 23, is currently in the process of divorcing his wife, Marina Wheeler, the mother of four of his children, to whom he was married for 25 years.

Symonds, who is 31, began dating Johnson, 55, last year. Over the past few months, the couple has been subject to intense press scrutiny as the prospect of the former London Mayor taking power became ever more likely, with countless column inches devoted to their 24-year age gap, and a reported domestic dispute at Symonds’s former flat in Camberwell last month.

As the former communications chief for the Conservative Party enters an entirely new phase of political life as the PM’s partner, how exactly her role will take shape remains unclear. In the meantime, Vogue looks back at Symonds’s career to date – and the values she actively promotes.

What is Carrie Symonds’s job?

Symonds worked as head of communications for the Conservative Party until August 2018. She also served as a special advisor to the new Chancellor Sajid Javid, then Home Secretary, under former PM Theresa May. Currently, she works as an advisor to Oceana, a conservation organisation dedicated to preserving marine life.

Symonds – whose father is a co-founder of The Independent newspaper, and whose mother is a lawyer – gained a first class honours degree in theatre studies and art history from Warwick University.

What are her interests?

On her Twitter bio, Symonds describes herself as a “conservationist” who is “fighting plastic pollution”. She is also a patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation. She has actively campaigned against whaling in Japan.

How did Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds meet?

It is unclear how Johnson and Symonds met. It was only after Johnson announced his divorce that the pair were photographed together. However, Symonds was subsequently subjected to media scrutiny after reports of an alleged affair surfaced. The reporting led to a cross-party effort from MPs, who signed an open letter complaining about the “sexist” and “misogynistic” treatment of Symonds.

Many observers have credited the recent changes in Johnson’s appearance to Symonds. From his slimmed-down frame to shorter hair and better-tailored shirts, Johnson has made visible changes in the lead up to becoming Prime Minister.

Source; Vogue