Carrie Symonds reveals she is pregnant with her second child with Boris

‘I feel incredibly blessed’: Carrie Symonds, 33, is pregnant with her second child and Boris’s seventh after going through a ‘heart breaking’ miscarriage earlier this year – and the ‘rainbow baby’ is due in December

  • The Prime Minister’s wife announced on Instagram today that she is expecting a December birth
  • Mrs Johnson also reveals in emotional post her heartbreak at suffering a miscarriage earlier this year 
  • She previously gave birth to the couple’s first child, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, in April 2020 

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Carrie Johnson is pregnant with her second child.

The Prime Minister’s wife, 33, also revealed that she suffered a miscarriage at the beginning of the year that she says left her ‘heartbroken.’ 

In a brave Instagram post she told how she and husband Boris were expecting a rainbow baby – a term for a child born to a family that has previously lost another due to stillbirth or death during infancy – in December. 

The announcement comes two months after her wedding to the Conservative leader when she would have been around two months pregnant.

The environmental campaigner, who was appointed head of communications for animal conservation group the Aspinall Foundation earlier this year, described the child she was expecting as a ‘rainbow baby’ – a term for a child born to a family that has previously lost another due to stillbirth or death during infancy.

In a message to followers, she wrote: ‘Hoping for our rainbow baby this Christmas. At the beginning of the year, I had a miscarriage which left me heartbroken. 

‘I feel incredibly blessed to be pregnant again but I’ve also felt like a bag of nerves. Fertility issues can be really hard for many people, particularly when on platforms like Instagram it can look like everything is only ever going well. 

‘I found it a real comfort to hear from people who had also experienced loss so I hope that in some very small way sharing this might help others too.’

Downing Street said Mr Johnson had been due to work this weekend from his official country residence Chequers in Buckinghamshire, although it is not known if the couple are there together. 

The December arrival will mean the Prime Minister then has at least seven children, though he has not officially confirmed the exact number after leading a tangled love life that has seen him married twice. 

Following Mrs Johnson’s announcement, hard Left trolls attacked the couple on Twitter – many of those making the abhorrent jokes having anonymous accounts.

Others made reference to the Prime Minister’s financial situation after allegedly asking for funds from Tory donors to pay for a flat refurbishment and a nanny for the couple’s first child Wilfred. 

The couple seen in good spirits together during England's Euro 2020 semi-final clash with Denmark at Wembley

The couple seen in good spirits together during England's Euro 2020 semi-final clash with Denmark at Wembley

The couple seen in good spirits together during England’s Euro 2020 semi-final clash with Denmark at Wembley

The post announcing the pregnancy to social media followers was accompanied by a picture of a small blue pram

The post announcing the pregnancy to social media followers was accompanied by a picture of a small blue pram

The post announcing the pregnancy to social media followers was accompanied by a picture of a small blue pram

Carrie broke the news that she was expecting a second child to followers on Instagram today

Carrie broke the news that she was expecting a second child to followers on Instagram today

Carrie broke the news that she was expecting a second child to followers on Instagram today

Carrie and Boris Johnson were last spotted together in public at Wembley on July 11 for England's Euro 2020 final clash against Italy

Carrie and Boris Johnson were last spotted together in public at Wembley on July 11 for England's Euro 2020 final clash against Italy

Carrie and Boris Johnson were last spotted together in public at Wembley on July 11 for England’s Euro 2020 final clash against Italy 

Carrie enjoys a cuddle with son Wilfred, whom she gave birth to in April last year, in a previous Instagram post

Carrie enjoys a cuddle with son Wilfred, whom she gave birth to in April last year, in a previous Instagram post

Carrie enjoys a cuddle with son Wilfred, whom she gave birth to in April last year, in a previous Instagram post

Carrie, seen with a push chair on April 21, gave birth to her first baby with the PM, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, last April

Carrie, seen with a push chair on April 21, gave birth to her first baby with the PM, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, last April

Carrie, seen with a push chair on April 21, gave birth to her first baby with the PM, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, last April 

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer sent congratulations to the expectant couple following Carrie Johnson’s announcement.

‘Congratulations to Carrie and Boris on the happy news that they’re expecting another child,’ said the Opposition leader.

‘I’m very sorry to hear of Carrie’s earlier miscarriage. I’m sure that her speaking out will be of comfort to others and make them feel less alone.

‘Every best wish to Carrie and Boris at this time.’

And Conservative MPs also congratulated the happy couple with Pensions Minister Guy Opperman writing: ‘Great news for Carrie and the PM. But also good that we talk about the pain, sadness and consequences of miscarriage and baby loss.’

Science Minster Amanda Solloway said: ‘Huge CONGRATULATIONS to @BorisJohnson and Carrie Symonds on the announcement that Carrie is pregnant and expecting a December birth.

‘I’m so happy for them and wish them all the best.’

The couple were last seen in public together watching England’s Euro 2020 final clash with Italy at Wembley Stadium on July 11. 

She and Mr Johnson, 57, welcomed their first baby, Wilfred, at the end of April last year. 

Following the birth, she praised the staff who delivered her son, thanking UCLH on International Day of the Midwife, captioning: ‘A big thank you from me too! You guys are incredible.’ 

Mr Johnson married his partner in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral back in May this year when she would have been around two months pregnant

Mr Johnson married his partner in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral back in May this year when she would have been around two months pregnant

Mr Johnson married his partner in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral back in May this year when she would have been around two months pregnant

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer sent congratulations to the expectant couple following Carrie Johnson's announcement

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer sent congratulations to the expectant couple following Carrie Johnson's announcement

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer sent congratulations to the expectant couple following Carrie Johnson’s announcement

Following Mrs Johnson's announcement, hard Left trolls attacked the couple on Twitter - many of those making the abhorrent jokes having anonymous accounts

Following Mrs Johnson's announcement, hard Left trolls attacked the couple on Twitter - many of those making the abhorrent jokes having anonymous accounts

Following Mrs Johnson’s announcement, hard Left trolls attacked the couple on Twitter – many of those making the abhorrent jokes having anonymous accounts

The couple named their son Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, after their grandfathers and the hospital doctors who treated the Prime Minister for coronavirus

Mr Johnson married his partner in a secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral back in May this year, in front of a handful of close friends and family.

One-year-old Wilfred attended the wedding, as did two official witnesses. Mrs Johnson shared a picture of their son yesterday in a field of bluebells – which some speculated was a nod to the tradition of ‘something blue’.

The PM’s siblings Rachel, Jo and Leo Johnson are also understood to have attended, along with his father Stanley.

It meant he became the first Prime Minister to marry in office since Lord Liverpool married Mary Chester in 1822.

The couple’s association dates back several years after Carrie worked on Boris’ successful bid to be re-elected Mayor of London in 2012. 

But they did not start dating until 2018 after he announced he had separated from his second wife, Marina Wheeler, the mother of four of his children. 

Mrs Johnson gave birth to her son in London last year with her now husband at her side, days after he himself had been released from medical care following a lengthy battle with coronavirus. 

In a heart-warming Instagram post revealing the boy’s name, Mrs Johnson said that the middle name Nicholas was a tribute to two NHS doctors, Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart, who ‘saved Boris’ life last month’ following his personal fight against Covid.

Carrie Johnson has announced she is pregnant with her second child with Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Carrie Johnson has announced she is pregnant with her second child with Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Carrie Johnson has announced she is pregnant with her second child with Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Mr and Mrs Johnson, son Wilfred and dog Dilyn all took a holiday to Scotland in August last year while Parliament was in recess

Mr and Mrs Johnson, son Wilfred and dog Dilyn all took a holiday to Scotland in August last year while Parliament was in recess

Mr and Mrs Johnson, son Wilfred and dog Dilyn all took a holiday to Scotland in August last year while Parliament was in recess

The couple then also held a top-secret baptism for their son – only witnessed by a few family and friends in September, just days before new lockdown restrictions on social gatherings came into force.

There was no reception after the religious ceremony as Mr and Mrs Johnson were reportedly keen to set a good example for the public and abide by social distancing rules.    

The December arrival will mean the Prime Minister then has at least seven children, though he 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.

Mr Johnson and Marina Wheeler, who split in 2018, have four children together: Lara Lettice, 26, Milo Arthur, 24, Cassia Peaches, 22, and Theodore Apollo, 20.

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 1987 but they were divorced in 1993.

In 2004 it emerged that Johnson was reportedly having an affair with journalist Petronella Wyatt who had fallen pregnant and had an abortion.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife arriving to cast their vote at Methodist Central Hall, central London, in the local and London Mayoral election on May 6 this year

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife arriving to cast their vote at Methodist Central Hall, central London, in the local and London Mayoral election on May 6 this year

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife arriving to cast their vote at Methodist Central Hall, central London, in the local and London Mayoral election on May 6 this year

He was sacked from the Tory frontbench over the affair. In 2006 the News of the World reported Mr Johnson had had an affair with journalist Anna Fazackerley.

In September 2018, news about his relationship with former Tory communications chief Carrie Symonds came to light – and they later moved in together. 

In May, it was revealed that Tory donors were allegedly asked to stump up cash to pay for a nanny for Wilfred in Downing Street.

One donor who said they were approached said: ‘I don’t mind paying for leaflets but I resent being asked to pay to literally wipe the Prime Minister’s baby’s bottom.’ 

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters that Mr Johnson had covered all the costs for childcare for his one-year-old son himself. 

But the spokesman refused to be drawn on whether the PM had previously approached supporters to pay for a nanny.

It came amid allegations the couple had asked for donors to pay for the redecoration of their Downing Street home, although an investigation found there was no conflict of interest.

There have been increasing rumours about the Prime Minister’s financial situation after a cripplingly expensive divorce from his second wife, the cost of supporting at least four of his six children and a substantial drop in income.

Boris’s divorce from long-suffering QC wife Marina Wheeler was finalised in February last year only after agreement had been reached on the money.

The settlement with his former wife is estimated to have amounted to around £2 million. As a close friend of Boris told the Daily Mail: ‘He was cleaned out.’  

The biggest impact on his finances, however, has resulted from a dramatic reduction in income.

In a two-year period during the last Parliament, when he was largely on the backbenches, he earned £800,000 from newspaper columns, after-dinner speeches, book royalties and TV programmes.

Regular income, such as the £275,000 he received for his Daily Telegraph column, have ended, and since moving into No 10 in December last year his outside earnings have shrivelled to £10,500 — all royalties from previously published books.

His £150,000 salary as PM makes him a political pauper by international standards.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor is paid £320,000, the New Zealand premier Jacinda Ardern receives £240,000, and even the prime minister of tiny land-locked Liechtenstein gets £195,000.

As a friend says: ‘For years he was earning so much he had no money worries. Certainly during the years of his marriage to Marina who earned good money as a barrister, he was very comfortably off.

‘Now for the first time, when he wants to provide for his family, he is not at all sure he can. This is an unusual position for him.

‘Friends say, ‘Don’t worry, when you leave Downing Street you will make pots of money like Blair, Cameron and John Major’ but his concern is the now not the future. It does play on his mind.’

The days when he could dismiss his six-figure pay for newspaper columns as ‘chicken feed’ as he did in 2009 are long gone.

After Mrs Johnson’s announcement, a miscarriage charity priased her openness and said it was ‘important’ to talk about pregnancy after losing a baby.

Ruth Bender Atik, national director of the Miscarriage Association, told Sky News: ‘Not everyone wants to talk about their experience of miscarriage, they may feel it’s private to them or they’re just not comfortable talking about it.

‘They might worry that people will say the wrong things, but also it’s important to talk about pregnancy after loss because it can be a very anxious time.

‘I think a lot of people say they lose the kind of innocence and optimism that they had the first time around because they’re always concerned that something might go wrong this time and for most people it doesn’t.

‘We have a really British way of trying to cheer people up by starting sentences with words like ‘at least’, ‘at least it was early’, ‘at least you already have a child’.

‘None of these things generally help so just allowing somebody to feel how they feel and to say ‘I’m sorry for loss’ and perhaps when they’re pregnant again, say ‘I imagine it might be a bit of an anxious time for you now”.

She went on to say that miscarriage can be ‘very traumatic’ for some partners.

Ms Atik added: ‘It’s important that we think about partners and remember their needs and ask them how they’re doing.’

Here are the details on all six of Mr Johnson’s known children:  

Lara Lettice Johnson with Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler in North London in May 2012

Lara Lettice Johnson with Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler in North London in May 2012

Lara Lettice Johnson with Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler in North London in May 2012

LARA LETTICE JOHNSON, 27 (born in 1993 to Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler)  

Lara was the first child born to Mr Johnson and Ms Wheeler, in 1993.  

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 £33,000-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 2012.

The Prime Minister and Marina Wheeler, pictured after he won his Uxbridge seat in May 2015

The Prime Minister and Marina Wheeler, pictured after he won his Uxbridge seat in May 2015

The Prime Minister and Marina Wheeler, pictured after he won his Uxbridge seat in May 2015

Milo Arthur Johnson, 24, was educated at the £27,000-a-year Westminster School

Milo Arthur Johnson, 24, was educated at the £27,000-a-year Westminster School

Milo Arthur Johnson, 24, was educated at the £27,000-a-year Westminster School

MILO ARTHUR JOHNSON, 25 (born in 1995 to Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler)

Born in 1995, Milo was Boris Johnson and Marina Wheeler’s first son. 

The 24-year-old was educated at the £27,000-a-year Westminster School and is said to be a keen sportsman. 

A 2011 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 2014, and can speak Arabic, Russian and French.

He also worked as an intern in Dubai at men’s magazine Esquire Middle East. 

After Mr Johnson and Ms Wheeler separated in 2018, the politician and Milo were photographed bringing tea for the Press outside his house in Oxfordshire. 

Cassia Peaches Johnson, 22

Cassia Peaches Johnson, 22

Cassia Peaches Johnson, 22

Cassia Peaches Johnson, 23 (born in 1997 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 1997 and went to Highgate School – which costs £18,000 per year.  

During Cassia’s time at the private school she was a student editor of their alumni magazine Cholmeleian.

Theodore Apollo Johnson, 20

Theodore Apollo Johnson, 20

Theodore Apollo Johnson, 20

THEODORE APOLLO JOHNSON 21 (born in 1999 to Boris and Marina Wheeler)

Born in 1999, 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 2017. 

Theodore has also been labelled previously as something of a doppleganger for Mr Johnson, with the same distinctive hair colour and style. 

Helen Macintyre (pictured), the mother of Boris Johnson's fifth child Stephanie

Helen Macintyre (pictured), the mother of Boris Johnson's fifth child Stephanie

Helen Macintyre (pictured), the mother of Boris Johnson’s fifth child Stephanie

STEPHANIE MACINTYRE, 12 (born in 2009 to Boris Johnson and Helen Macintyre)

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 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. ‘

 

 

Carrie Johnson holds Wilfred, her first child with the PM

Carrie Johnson holds Wilfred, her first child with the PM

Carrie Johnson holds Wilfred, her first child with the PM

WILFRED LAWRIE NICHOLAS JOHNSON, 1 (born in 2020 to Boris and Carrie Johnson)

Mr Johnson’s sixth child, Wilfred, was born on April 29, 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and the first lockdown. 

It was the first child he had with Carrie, who he would go on to wed in a secret ceremony in Westminster in MAy 2021.

Following the birth, his now wife praised the staff who delivered her son, thanking UCLH on International Day of the Midwife, captioning: ‘A big thank you from me too! You guys are incredible.’ 

The couple named their son Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, after their grandfathers and the hospital doctors who treated the Prime Minister for coronavirus

SARAH VINE: Cowardly trolls may mock – but Carrie Symonds is doing women a great service by speaking with such candour 

Carrie Johnson announces she is pregnant with the couple’s second child, having suffered a miscarriage early on in the year – and Twitter springs to life like a putrefying zombie sensing a piece of passing grey matter.

‘Fake baby’; ‘Ooh, look, another dead cat’; endless jokes about nursery wallpaper; and the rest, quite honestly, so unpleasant even Frankie Boyle might consider them a bit de trop.

Most of them, of course, hiding behind anonymity like the pathetic cowardly creeps they are.

Such is the lot of any political partner, especially one married to a Conservative. 

The hard-Left is far nastier and more aggressive than the Right, especially when it comes to the abuse of women.

Carrie Johnson announces she is pregnant with the couple's second child, having suffered a miscarriage early on in the year ¿ and Twitter springs to life like a putrefying zombie sensing a piece of passing grey matter, writes SARAH VINE. Above: Carrie with baby Wilfred and the PM

Carrie Johnson announces she is pregnant with the couple's second child, having suffered a miscarriage early on in the year ¿ and Twitter springs to life like a putrefying zombie sensing a piece of passing grey matter, writes SARAH VINE. Above: Carrie with baby Wilfred and the PM

Carrie Johnson announces she is pregnant with the couple’s second child, having suffered a miscarriage early on in the year – and Twitter springs to life like a putrefying zombie sensing a piece of passing grey matter, writes SARAH VINE. Above: Carrie with baby Wilfred and the PM

Even those supposedly in the responsible mainstream do it: Kevin Maguire, of the New Statesman, couldn’t resist having a dig: ‘Will this be 7 or 8 children fathered by Boris Johnson?’ he tweeted.

How original. And what a lovely sentiment to extend to an expectant mother sharing such deeply personal and bittersweet news.

To an extent, it comes with the territory. Every politician or politician’s spouse has to accept a bit of teasing from the other side now and again. 

But there are times when even the toughest feel vulnerable, and pregnancy and miscarriage ought to be respected.

But no. Some people will always see you purely through the prism of their own political tribalism. 

You are not a person in your right, indeed you are probably not even human, and neither is your family. 

Your feelings and state of mind don’t matter. Not even in moments of great anguish.

I’m sure Carrie thought long and hard before telling the world about her miscarriage. 

She will have been fully aware of how people might seize upon it and twist it out of shape for their own ends.

Which makes her decision to share her experience even more admirable, especially at such a vulnerable stage in her life.

Pregnancy is a special time for most women, but it can also be incredibly stressful, and no more so than when you’ve only just lost a baby. 

I don’t know the details of her miscarriage earlier this year, but I am certain that the fear of it happening again stalks her, as it would any woman in her position.

'Fake baby'; 'Ooh, look, another dead cat'; endless jokes about nursery wallpaper; and the rest, quite honestly, so unpleasant even Frankie Boyle might consider them a bit de trop. Most of them, of course, hiding behind anonymity like the pathetic cowardly creeps they are. Above: Mr and Mrs Johnson with England legend David Beckham prior to the Euro 2020 final

'Fake baby'; 'Ooh, look, another dead cat'; endless jokes about nursery wallpaper; and the rest, quite honestly, so unpleasant even Frankie Boyle might consider them a bit de trop. Most of them, of course, hiding behind anonymity like the pathetic cowardly creeps they are. Above: Mr and Mrs Johnson with England legend David Beckham prior to the Euro 2020 final

‘Fake baby’; ‘Ooh, look, another dead cat’; endless jokes about nursery wallpaper; and the rest, quite honestly, so unpleasant even Frankie Boyle might consider them a bit de trop. Most of them, of course, hiding behind anonymity like the pathetic cowardly creeps they are. Above: Mr and Mrs Johnson with England legend David Beckham prior to the Euro 2020 final

Even now she is past the high-risk stage, and has presumably had many scans reassuring her, her hormones will mean she is hypersensitive to every worry. 

Having one child already – Wilfred – running around the place will no doubt act as a welcome distraction a lot of the time. But still. 

She could probably do without the trolls. Especially since what she is doing in speaking out is a genuinely good thing.

Miscarriage is one of the last great taboo subjects, even though countless women experience it every day.

More than one in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage – around a quarter of a million each year in the UK. 

Talking about it, being honest about the realities and, crucially, removing the stigma that still surrounds miscarriage, is an important part of helping women recover.

Carrie is not telling the world because she wants our sympathy; she’s doing so because the baby she lost is as much part of the story of her growing family as the one she already has and the one she hopes to welcome at Christmas.

Like many women who have been through what she has, that baby was as real to her as the one in her belly. Of course she wants to talk about it, of course she wants to share her heartbreak.

Like so many women of her generation – including, of course, the Duchess of Sussex – Carrie doesn’t take a stiff-upper-lip approach to these things. 

And if you ask me, that’s all to the good. Because while I’m not necessarily a fan of oversharing, I also know there are some things that, if suppressed, only make things worse.

Carrie, seen with a push chair on April 21, gave birth to her first baby with the PM, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, last April

Carrie, seen with a push chair on April 21, gave birth to her first baby with the PM, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, last April

Carrie, seen with a push chair on April 21, gave birth to her first baby with the PM, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, last April 

That doesn’t mean to say you have to spill every last detail, but letting the world know what you’ve faced can be a very important step towards processing the trauma.

Women need to feel they can be open about their experiences of miscarriage and loss.

For some, Carrie’s admission is an opportunity to gloat, a reason to diminish her and Boris, to revel in their misfortune.

But for the vast majority, I suspect, it will be comforting to know that behind all the formality and pomp of No 10 Downing Street live a couple who, for all their power and privilege, understand first-hand the kind of experiences that many ordinary people endure. 

That is to be applauded, not mocked.  

Has anyone had a start to family life as dramatic as Carrie Symonds and Boris Johnson? Living in the glare of the Downing Street spotlight was never going to be easy… but this couple had a global pandemic to contend with  

By Katie Hind for the Daily Mail 

Starting family life in the glare of the Downing Street spotlight while carrying the burden of the highest office in the land was never going to be easy.

But the Johnsons had more troubles to contend with than even they could have foreseen.

For as Carrie prepared to give birth to their first child in April last year, her husband-to-be was fighting for his life after being struck down by Covid.

Not able to visit Boris as he spent several days in intensive care, she was left waiting anxiously for updates from the doctors treating him as she prepared to give birth for the first time.

Starting family life in the glare of the Downing Street spotlight while carrying the burden of the highest office in the land was never going to be easy. But the Johnsons had more troubles to contend with than even they could have foreseen

Starting family life in the glare of the Downing Street spotlight while carrying the burden of the highest office in the land was never going to be easy. But the Johnsons had more troubles to contend with than even they could have foreseen

Starting family life in the glare of the Downing Street spotlight while carrying the burden of the highest office in the land was never going to be easy. But the Johnsons had more troubles to contend with than even they could have foreseen

As if that wasn’t difficult enough, she, too, was struck down with the virus in the ninth month of her pregnancy, a frightening prospect that she was forced to confront alone as she remained in self-isolation.

All the while, Boris had to navigate the nation’s response to the pandemic, just months after arriving in Downing Street. 

Their joy at Boris’s stunning 80-seat General Election victory the previous December, and at getting engaged, had quickly been consumed by crisis.

But on April 29, 2020, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson was born – premature but healthy – with the Prime Minister ‘present throughout’.

Yesterday Carrie revealed a different sort of anguish from that she had overcome with her first child, speaking honestly about how she had been left heartbroken after suffering a miscarriage at the beginning of the year.

For as she broke the surprise news that she and Boris were expecting a second child this Christmas, she also disclosed that it would be a ‘rainbow’ baby – a term used to describe a child born after losing a previous one.

The pain of that loss must have devastated her, especially as, more than anything, she adores being a mum.

Yet however excruciating that pain, the Prime Minister and his wife dealt with their private heartbreak with such poise and dignity that no one would have been aware of it.

For as Carrie prepared to give birth to their first child in April last year, her husband-to-be was fighting for his life after being struck down by Covid

For as Carrie prepared to give birth to their first child in April last year, her husband-to-be was fighting for his life after being struck down by Covid

For as Carrie prepared to give birth to their first child in April last year, her husband-to-be was fighting for his life after being struck down by Covid

The post announcing the pregnancy to social media followers was accompanied by a picture of a small blue pram

The post announcing the pregnancy to social media followers was accompanied by a picture of a small blue pram

The post announcing the pregnancy to social media followers was accompanied by a picture of a small blue pram

Yet while yesterday’s announcement of a sibling for Wilfred was unexpected by all but the couple’s increasingly small circle, there may have been clues about Carrie’s pregnancy as long ago as June.

You don’t have to look hard to see a little bump as Carrie wowed other leaders’ partners at the G7 summit at Carbis Bay in Cornwall. 

Two weeks after they wed in a small, secret but romantic secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral, the couple beamed joyfully for the cameras. Now we know they knew something the rest of the world did not.

While in Cornwall, Carrie also showed off her joy at being a mum in a set of beautiful pictures on the beach with Wilfred and America’s First Lady, Dr Jill Biden. 

As she played in the sand with him and carried him along the shores, it was obvious that mother and son share a close and happy bond.

Motherhood certainly gave a respite from the often febrile world of Downing Street, where Carrie – and even her beloved Jack Russell Dilyn – were the subject of hostile briefings, both before and after winning the bitter power struggle with former No 10 adviser Dominic Cummings.

For the first nine months of Wilfred’s life, Carrie was away from it all on maternity leave, walking the baby in his pram while singing rhymes to him –his favourite being Old MacDonald Had A Farm.

The sociable pair enjoyed meeting other new mothers and babies, and at home, while his daddy was downstairs running the country, little Wilfred – only the fifth child known to have been born to a sitting Prime Minister – enjoyed bouncing in his Jolly Jumper exerciser.

And to the surprise of some, Boris has also been a hands-on parent to Wilfred, who has inherited his father’s unruly blond locks. 

To the surprise of some, Boris has also been a hands-on parent to Wilfred, who has inherited his father's unruly blond locks

To the surprise of some, Boris has also been a hands-on parent to Wilfred, who has inherited his father's unruly blond locks

To the surprise of some, Boris has also been a hands-on parent to Wilfred, who has inherited his father’s unruly blond locks

The Prime Minister is regularly seen pushing the one-year-old in his buggy while out jogging with Dilyn. 

He even helps out when it comes to the messier jobs, saying last year: ‘I’ve changed a lot of nappies, I want you to know.’

He also performed the doting dad duties while on holiday in Scotland last summer, where he was pictured carrying his son in a papoose.

Keen not to make Dilyn feel left out, Carrie warmly refers to him as Wilfred’s brother. 

‘My best friend is my brother, a dog called Dilyn, he likes to lick my toes,’ wrote Carrie on behalf of her son in December.

That rare insight into the Johnsons’ family life came in an initiative for The Together Project, for which Wilfred sent a finger painting of a reindeer to an 89-year-old woman with Parkinson’s disease living in a care home. 

Carrie also revealed that Wilfred’s favourite food was raspberries and yogurt.

Since then, Carrie has adjusted to life as a working mother, getting a new job heading the communications team for conservation charity The Aspinall Foundation.

Animal welfare has long been one of her passions and she is now working on a groundbreaking ‘rewilding’ project to transport 13 elephants from Kent to Kenya.

While yesterday’s Instagram post was tinged with sadness, it was also full of hope that Wilfred will have a baby brother or sister in time for Christmas. 

Indeed, Carrie used a picture of a Christmas tree bauble in the shape of a pram to accompany her announcement. 

You don't have to look hard to see a little bump as Carrie wowed other leaders' partners at the G7 summit at Carbis Bay in Cornwall

You don't have to look hard to see a little bump as Carrie wowed other leaders' partners at the G7 summit at Carbis Bay in Cornwall

You don’t have to look hard to see a little bump as Carrie wowed other leaders’ partners at the G7 summit at Carbis Bay in Cornwall

‘I feel incredibly blessed to be pregnant again,’ she wrote, ‘but I have also felt like a bag of nerves’ – a natural anxiety in the circumstances.

The UK’s unofficial First Lady used her platform to connect and empathise with other women who had suffered miscarriages too. 

A keen social media user, she acknowledged how hard it can be to see the perfect lives people depicted on platforms such as Instagram, especially for those suffering fertility issues.

Her motivation appears clear – to encourage others to talk about the subject. Despite miscarriage affecting about one in four pregnancies, it still remains a taboo subject.

After the announcement, Ruth Bender Atik of the Miscarriage Association, said it was ‘significant’ that Carrie spoke about her loss, telling Sky News: ‘It is important to talk about pregnancy after loss because it can be a very anxious time. 

‘A lot of people say that they lose the innocence and optimism they had the first time round because they are concerned something might go wrong this time.’

Carrie indicated she had been in touch with other women who have suffered baby loss, writing: ‘I found it a real comfort to hear from people who had also experienced loss, so I hope that in some small way, sharing this might help others too.’

While it will surely have been difficult to come to terms with losing a baby, Carrie and Boris are undoubtedly excited – if cautious – about becoming parents again.

They, and so many others, will be hoping this baby is the rainbow that follows a storm. Because the Johnsons have certainly weathered enough of them.

Carrie’s cover-up! How PM’s wife used subtle styling tricks to hide her baby bump – from bold patterns and bright colours to ‘distract the eye’ to loose maxi dresses and relaxed blazers

By Harriet Johnston for MailOnline

Carrie Symonds hid her growing baby bump with a series of clever styling tricks, a stylist has revealed.

The Prime Minister’s wife, 33, revealed on Instagram today that she is expecting a December birth after suffering a miscarriage at the start of this year that left her ‘heartbroken’.

The normally lowkey mother-of-one has been in the spotlight during the last few months, having joined her husband at the G7 summit in June and Euro 2020 matches in July. 

Celebrity stylist Rochelle White told FEMAIL she had managed to keep her pregnancy under wraps thanks to a series of subtle styling hacks, revealing: ‘I would say that Carrie has selected busy patterns and bold colours to also help disguise her growing bump. 

‘With bold patterns and colors, they are a great distraction for the eye, drawing attention away from growing bellies.’

Carrie Symonds hid her growing baby bump with a series of clever styling tricks including floaty dresses and oversized blazers, a stylist has revealed

Carrie Symonds hid her growing baby bump with a series of clever styling tricks including floaty dresses and oversized blazers, a stylist has revealed

Carrie Symonds hid her growing baby bump with a series of clever styling tricks including floaty dresses and oversized blazers, a stylist has revealed

Carrie Symonds hid her growing baby bump with a series of clever styling tricks including floaty dresses and oversized blazers, a stylist has revealed

Carrie Symonds hid her growing baby bump with a series of clever styling tricks including floaty dresses and oversized blazers, a stylist has revealed (pictured left, May 6, and right,  June 11). 

Celebrity stylist Rochelle said Carrie had chosen 'bold patterns and colors' on recent appearances which have acted as 'a great distraction for the eye' (pictured at the G7 summit on June 12)

Celebrity stylist Rochelle said Carrie had chosen 'bold patterns and colors' on recent appearances which have acted as 'a great distraction for the eye' (pictured at the G7 summit on June 12)

Celebrity stylist Rochelle said Carrie had chosen ‘bold patterns and colors’ on recent appearances which have acted as ‘a great distraction for the eye’ (pictured at the G7 summit on June 12)

The mother-one-one is at least three months into her first pregnancy – suggesting that she fell pregnant around mid-March. 

Rochelle said Carrie had been ‘selective’ with her outfit choices over the last few months to conceal her bump.  

While her baby bump will not have been visible, Carrie has been careful to avoid fuelling speculation by keeping her tummy firmly covered. 

She made her most high profile appearances to date when she attended the G7 summit alongside Boris in June. 

The stylist said Carrie has been wearing floaty maxi dresses in recent months to keep her figure under wraps (pictured on June 8)

The stylist said Carrie has been wearing floaty maxi dresses in recent months to keep her figure under wraps (pictured on June 8)

The stylist said Carrie has been wearing floaty maxi dresses in recent months to keep her figure under wraps (pictured on June 8) 

Eco-conscious Carrie hired multiple pieces for the event in Cornwall – two collections from dress hire companies My Wardrobe HQ and Hurr Collective were delivered before the summit.  

Meeting with President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr Jill Biden, Carrie donned a scarlet £325 LK Bennett gown.

The vibrant red dress was described online as inspired by the ‘glamour of the chic 1930s’. 

Meanwhile she also opted to wear a similar £990 cobalt blue two-piece from Amanda Wakeley for a trip to the theatre.  

Rochelle said Carrie had worn floaty maxi dresses during appearances to keep her figure under wraps. 

She said: ‘Carrie has been wearing loose fitting dresses, blazers and shirts. She keeps it as casual and to her style, with a few subtle changes. ‘  

She also revealed how the Prime Minister’s wife had used bold patterns and bright colours to distract the eye during the early months of her pregnancy. 

Rochelle said Carrie had cleverly layered different items on recent outings, mixing multiple patterns which help to add as a 'visual distraction' (pictured on July 11)

Rochelle said Carrie had cleverly layered different items on recent outings, mixing multiple patterns which help to add as a 'visual distraction' (pictured on July 11)

Rochelle said Carrie had cleverly layered different items on recent outings, mixing multiple patterns which help to add as a ‘visual distraction’ (pictured on July 11) 

The mother-of-one opted for a host of bright, colourful dresses while attending her most high profile appearances to date at the G7 summit in June, which Rochelle suggested could have helped her hide her growing baby bump

The mother-of-one opted for a host of bright, colourful dresses while attending her most high profile appearances to date at the G7 summit in June, which Rochelle suggested could have helped her hide her growing baby bump

The mother-of-one opted for a host of bright, colourful dresses while attending her most high profile appearances to date at the G7 summit in June, which Rochelle suggested could have helped her hide her growing baby bump

The mother-of-one opted for a host of bright, colourful dresses while attending her most high profile appearances to date at the G7 summit in June, which Rochelle suggested could have helped her hide her growing baby bump

The mother-of-one opted for a host of bright, colourful dresses while attending her most high profile appearances to date at the G7 summit in June, which Rochelle suggested could have helped her hide her growing baby bump (left, June 10, and right, June 11) 

Meanwhile the celebrity stylist pointed to her recent choices to wear oversized blazers with loose fitting trousers, adding: ‘When she has selected trousers and shirt combo, they have loose fitting and tailored, so it could look like she is wearing oversized. 

‘It is all very flattering to her body shape and style.’

She said Carrie’s decision to layer blazers and loose shirts, such as her outfit choice when she attended the Euro 2020 final at Wembley on July 11, also helped distract from any hint of a bump.

Rochelle revealed: ‘Items can be layered and mixed multiple patterns can also be added for extra visual distraction.

‘Styles don’t need to be overly busy, so, I would recommend to stick to a similar color family, or use one pattern to dominate and the other to accent.

‘Wearing more form-fitting clothing and slowly adding in layers can help trick the eye.’    

The mother-one-one is at least three months into her first pregnancy - suggesting that she fell pregnant around mid-March (pictured on 29 June)

The mother-one-one is at least three months into her first pregnancy - suggesting that she fell pregnant around mid-March (pictured on 29 June)

The mother-one-one is at least three months into her first pregnancy – suggesting that she fell pregnant around mid-March (pictured on 29 June) 

Rochelle said Carrie had selected loose fitting and tailored trousers and shirts, so her garments appeared oversized

Rochelle said Carrie had selected loose fitting and tailored trousers and shirts, so her garments appeared oversized

Rochelle said Carrie had selected loose fitting and tailored trousers and shirts, so her garments appeared oversized

Carrie has become one of the biggest profile advocates for hiring clothing, with the mother-of-one marrying the Prime Minister in a rented dress.

She has been hiring her designer outfits, rather than buying them outright, for years.

In 2019, it was reported she pays £9.99 a month membership to the website My Wardrobe HQ, which allows her to supplement her day-to-day high-street outfits.

The service has been described as a ‘private members’ club for the fashion world’.

At the time, a source close to My Wardrobe HQ said: ‘Carrie loves eco fashion so borrowing clothes for special occasions means they aren’t just left hanging in her wardrobe and rarely worn. One dress can go a long way.’  

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