Britain’s first couple announced on Saturday that they were engaged and expecting a child in the early summer. Bookmakers have Charlotte priced as 6/1 favourite in the betting, followed by James at 7/1. Elsewhere, Stanley is currently a 10/1 shot, with Winston also among the frontrunners at 12/1.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Baby Boris is due later this year and punters are already guessing which name the PM and his wife-to-be will opt for.

“As things stand Charlotte and James head the betting with a Baby Brexit seemingly unlikely at 1000/1.”

Earlier on Saturday, Ms Symonds announced her engagement and pregnancy via an Instagram post.

She wrote: “I wouldn’t normally post this kind of thing on here but i wanted my friends to find out from me…

“Many of you already know but for my friends that still don’t, we got engaged at the end of last year… and we’ve got a baby hatching early summer.

“Feel incredibly blessed.”

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 Ms Symonds, 31, became the first unmarried couple to occupy Downing Street when they moved in last year.

JUST IN: Boris Johnson warned over Huawei: US furious at exposure to China risk

Ms Symonds is also the youngest partner of a prime minister in 174 years.

This will be the third marriage for the Prime Minister, who divorced his first wife Allegra Mostyn-Owen and is currently estranged from second wife Marina Wheeler.

Earlier this month, a court heard that the Mr Johnson and Ms Wheeler were preparing to end their marriage after reaching an agreement over money.

The Prime Minister has four children with Ms Wheeler and a love child conceived during an affair with property developer Helen Macintyre.

DON’T MISS
Carrie Symonds pregnant: Is there a way to predict Boris Johnson’s bab [Latest]
Boris Johnson net worth: PM to marry girlfriend Carrie Symonds [Update]
Boris Johnson baby: ‘Carrie proposed to Boris in leap year engagement’ [Latest]

Ms Symonds used to be the the Conservative Party communications chief, but quit her role in 2018 to take up a position as a senior adviser for US environmental campaign group Oceana.

She was romantically linked to the Prime Minister in 2019, but her association with him goes back as far as 2012, when she worked on his successful re-election bid as London mayor.

Fellow MPs were quick to congratulate the Prime Minister and Ms Symonds, with former Chancellor Sajid Javid leading the way.

Mr Javid tweeted that it “is wonderful news!”, while former Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson wrote: “Congratulations to Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds.”

Ms Davidson had been a fierce critic of the Prime Minister’s Brexit policy and stepped down as Scottish leader last year to spend more time with her young family.

Tom Tugendhat, chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said: “Congratulations to both Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds. Happy news!”

However, others have been sceptical about the timing of the announcement from Downing Street.

The Prime Minister’s personal news follows the sensational resignation of Sir Philip Rutnam, the most senior civil servant at the Home Office, after a row over alleged bullying with Home Secretary Priti Patel.

Labour Peer Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, a former MP of 26 years, said on Twitter: “Wonder why they announced it today?”

Source: Read Full Article