This week, Boris Johnson officially became the new prime minister of the UK after winning the Conservative Party leadership race.
In addition to prompting interest and scrutiny over the Tory leader’s political views, Johnson’s personal life has also become a subject of curiosity - especially his relationship with Carrie Symonds.
Symonds, 31, who has been dating the politician since 2018, found herself a centre of attention when she made an appearance Wednesday to support her 55-year-old boyfriend as he addressed the country in his first televised speech as prime minister.
During her first appearance as “first girlfriend”, Symonds, who has a political background, made headlines with her outfit, a Ghost red and pink dress which sold out within hours.
Since then, questions have been raised regarding the couple's relationship and future as Johnson takes on the most powerful position in the country.
This is everything you need to know about Symonds.
What is her background and her job?
Symonds, the daughter of The Independent co-founder Matthew Symonds and lawyer Josephine McAffe, was born and raised in southwest London.
After studying theatre studies and art history at the University of Warwick, she began her career as a press officer for the Conservative Party.
In 2012, Symonds worked on Johnson’s campaign team to be re-elected as the mayor of London.
After working as an advisor to two Secretaries of State, including the then home secretary Sajid Javid, Symonds became the youngest-ever director of communications of the Conservative Party at the age of 29.
She left the role in 2018, shortly before her relationship with Johnson became public, at which point she became a senior advisor to ocean conservation charity Oceana.
In her current role, Symonds advocates on behalf of animal welfare, clean oceans free of plastic pollution, and sustainability.
On her Twitter profile, where she describes herself as a “conservationist”, Symonds frequently shares information about plastic pollution and the environment.
In addition to her dedication to the planet, Symonds has also advocated on behalf of issues such as ending female genital mutilation (FGM).
How did the couple meet?
While it is unclear when the couple met, their relationship was confirmed shortly after Johnson announced he would be divorcing his wife of 25 years, Marina Wheeler, with whom he has four children.
Johnson and Wheeler are currently in the process of divorcing.
Why were the police called to Symonds’ home in June?
In June, the relationship between Johnson and Symonds made headlines when police were called to Symonds’s apartment in Camberwell, South London to respond to a domestic dispute after neighbours overheard the couple arguing.
According to The Guardian, Symonds could be heard telling Johnson to “get off me” and “get out of my flat”.
The Met Police told the outlet that “there were no offences or concerns apparent to the officers and there was no cause for police action”.
Johnson later refused to answer any questions pertaining to the incident.
Will Symonds have any duties as the girlfriend of the prime minister?
Because Johnson and Symonds are not married, it is not clear what the 31-year-old’s role will be or which duties she will fulfil as the partner of the prime minister.
The role of the partner of the prime minister is different than that of the First Lady in the US as it is not comprised of clearly defined duties and is largely up to each individual how much they choose to be in the spotlight.
Former prime minister Theresa May’s husband Philip largely kept out of the public eye.
