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Irish Mirror
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Anita McSorley & Rosaleen Fenton

Inside Boris Johnson's turbulent love life - two ex-wives, countless lovers and seven children

News that Boris Johnson has resigned as British Prime Minister after dozens of MPs stepped down from the Government marks the latest chapter in the politician's turbulent career.

He set out his plans in a speech on Thursday, saying that a new Conservative Party leader is expected to be in place by the autumn.

The 58-year-old thanked his wife, family and the civil service in his remarks.

READ MORE: The Irish political scandals that led to high-profile resignations as Boris Johnson steps down in UK

He said: "I want to thank Carrie and our children, and all the members of our family who have had to put up with so much for so long.”

Boris will stay in the role as a caretaker Prime Minister, which has sparked a discussion on whether he should go sooner.

As the political chaos rages on, Mirror UK takes a look at his rather complicated love life, which has resulted in seven children.

1987: Johnson married his girlfriend, Allegra Mostyn-Owen, whom he met at Oxford

Socialite and Tatler cover girl Allegra married Boris Johnson when the pair were both aged 23 - but it wasn't meant to be.

The pair divorced after his affair with the woman who would become his second wife, childhood friend Marina Wheeler, was revealed.

Marina became pregnant with the first of their four children before his divorce from Allegra was finalised.

Following their first split, Johnson reunited with Allegra before they reunited in February 1990 and divorced in 1993 - just two weeks before he married Marina Wheeler.

Five weeks after marrying Marina, Lara Lettice was born.

She rather bluntly later described their wedding day as “the end of the relationship, rather than the beginning”.

But it seems they remained on good terms, as she added: "He’s a better ex than husband."

1993: Boris marries Marina Wheeler

Marina and Johnson met as children at the European School in Brussels in the 1970s when Stanley Johnson worked at the European Commission.

Boris and ex-wife Marina Wheeler (PA)

They also attended posh private boarding school Bedales in Hampshire, before Marina headed to rival university Oxford.

The pair wed on May 8, 1993 are reuniting in their mid-20s - just two weeks days after his divorce from Allegra was finalised on April 26.

Barrister Marina has four children with Boris: Lara Lettice, Milo Arthur, Cassia Peaches and Theodore Apollo.

The couple remained married for 25 years despite Boris's turbulent love life - including a slew of well-known affairs.

Famously Lara once described her father as a “selfish b*****d”.

2004: Affair with Petronella Wyatt

Seven years into his marriage to Marina, the barrister learnt that Boris was having an affair with journalist Petronella Wyatt, while he was her editor.

Petronella Wyatt had a four-year relationship with Johnson while he was editor of the Spectator (Alan Davidson/REX/Shutterstock)

In 2004, it was reported that she had undergone an abortion, to which Boris firmly rebutted to The Mail on Sunday, saying: "I had not had an affair with Petronella.

"It is complete balderdash. It is an inverted pyramid of piffle."

But he was found to be lying - leaving him to be sacked from his position as Shadow Culture Minister.

The relationship ended when Johnson failed to fulfil his promise to leave Marina and marry her, according to Petronella’s mother, Lady Verushka Wyatt.

Petronella said Johnson was “a loner” who told her men should not be confined to one woman. She added: “Like many loners, he has a compensating need to be liked.”

2006: Claims of an affair with Anna Fazackerley

In 2006, it emerged that Marina was alerted to an alleged affair with journalist Anna Fazackerley, according to reports which she neither confirmed nor denied.

It also emerged that Marina had become pregnant was Boris was still married.

Allegra was quoted saying: "I divorced him for adultery. It enabled him to marry Marina."

Marina threw her husband out of their home after his affair with Anna was publicised, but they soon worked things out again.

2009: The love child with Helen Macintyre

In 2009, Mr Johnson had a child with art consultant Helen Macintyre.

It is understood Mrs Wheeler had, again, kicked him out of the family home at the time.

Mr Johnson's fatherhood of Miss Macintyre's daughter was first revealed by the Daily Mail in July 2010. An attempt to keep his paternity secret failed when a court ruled it was in the public interest to report Mr Johnson was the father.

2016: Four-year affair with Jenifer Arcuri

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Jennifer revealed her four-year relationship with the Prime Minister, who was Mayor of London at the time.

The businesswoman, who is 21 years longer, says they slept together at her flat where she had a pole dancer's pole.

At the height of the relationship, she says they met up once a week and exchanged sexual messages while he was on mayoral duty.

Jennifer said: “The truth is, with men – this isn’t to excuse them – you have to know the beast.

“This is who he is. You’re never going to change him, you’re never going to make him want what you want just because you want it.”

Johnson was still married to Marina when Jennifer says their affair began in 2012, adding: I’m not a victim. I’m not losing sleep over this any more. But it says a lot about the character of the man.

In 2018, Marina finally threw Boris outside the home and they announced their divorcer. Daughter Lara was quoted as saying: “Mum is finished with him. She’ll never take him back.”

2020: Boris and Carrie get engaged

It's unclear when Boris and Carrie first met, though it was likely in 2012, when she worked on his re-election campaign for mayor of London.

Carrie and Boris (Getty Images)

Rumours started circulating in 2018 when the PM attended her birthday party, and their relationship was first reported in 2019. Police were called to their home in south London, after neighbours reportedly heard a loud argument.

In February 2020, a spokesman announced that the couple were engaged and expecting a baby - son Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson.

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 Miss Symonds, 31, made history as the first unmarried couple to officially live together in Downing Street when they moved.

Ms Symonds, a conservationist and former Conservative Party communications chief, first found herself making headlines when she was romantically linked to Mr Johnson earlier in 2019.

But her association with Mr Johnson dates back to when she worked on his successful re-election bid at City Hall in 2012.

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