Carrie Symonds, a former Conservative Party communications chief, is reportedly the wife of Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the couple held a secret wedding at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday.
Ms. Symonds first made headlines when she was romantically involved with Mr. Johnson, and more recently has been in the spotlight following the birth of her baby and rumors about her influence on number 10.
Last April, Ms. Symonds gave birth to their first child, Wilfred. That same month, Mr Johnson was hospitalized with coronavirus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds (Stefan Rousseau / PA)
She made her first TV appearance together with Mr Johnson later in 2020 to thank NHS staff for the hospital treatment and the birth of their baby.
In 2021, Ms. Symonds was named communications director for the Aspinall Foundation animal welfare group, which the Charity Commission is investigating for “serious concerns” about its “governance and financial management.”
Government oversight said it began investigating the foundation in July 2020 into claims for “unauthorized trustee services” but added that the introduction was “no wrongdoing”.
A spokesman for the charity, which has launched its own internal review led by independent specialists, said it was “committed to its ethical and legal obligations as a nonprofit”.
Ms. Symonds has also clashed with former prime ministerial advisor Dominic Cummings, who claimed she distracted Mr. Johnson from the pandemic by making “bang” over “trivial” stories about her in the press.
Carrie Symonds was accused of attempting to influence government recruitment and appointment (Victoria Jones / PA)
Mr. Cummings also accused her of trying to change dates and get jobs with her friends, confirming that his resignation was “definitely linked to it”.
Tory think tank The Bow Group also said an investigation should look into Ms. Symonds’ “potential impact” on the hiring and appointment of government agencies.
This came after two of her allies, Baroness Finn and Henry Newman, were appointed key advisers in No. 10.
The PR expert had been in the so-called Westminster Bubble for most of her remarkably ascending career, a high point being her appointment as head of party PR when she was just 29.
In 2018, she listed PR Week in the top 10 political communication – second only to No10 boss Robbie Gibb.
Prior to this position, Ms. Symonds was a special advisor to Sajid Javid during his tenure as community secretary, following a role similar to that of John Whittingdale’s “spad” during his tenure at the head of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.
The alleged current wife of Prime Minister Carrie Symonds, pictured with family dog Dilyn, had several jobs in the world of communication and marketing (Stefan Rousseau / PA)
She also worked on Zac Goldsmith’s failed bid to succeed Mr Johnson as London Mayor.
Ms. Symonds joined the Tory Party’s media machinery in 2009, first as a press advisor, then ahead of the 2015 general election as head of broadcasting at the Conservative Campaign headquarters.
Her association with Mr Johnson dates back to the early years after working on his successful 2012 town hall re-election bid.
Prior to her political PR, Ms. Symonds had several jobs in the world of commercial communications and marketing.
Ms. Symonds’ acquaintance with the media and the national discourse has a family relationship.
She is the daughter of Matthew Symonds, a co-founder of The Independent, and Josephine Mcaffee, one of the newspaper’s lawyers.
Ms. Symonds graduated from the University of Warwick with a bachelor’s degree in drama and art history in 2009.
