British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancée Carrie Symonds have announced the birth of their baby boy.
Symonds, 32, gave birth to “a “healthy baby boy at a London hospital earlier this morning”, a statement from Johnson’s office said on Wednesday. Both mother and child are doing “doing well”.
The child is the couple’s first together. Johnson, 55, is already a father to four children —two daughters and two sons — with his second wife.
The birth came just two days after Johnson returned to work in London after contracting COVID-19 earlier in the month and spending a week in hospital.
Johnson will not take part in today’s Prime Minister’s Question in parliament and will be replaced by First Secretary of State Dominic Raab, Downing Street also said.
The couple announced they were expecting in late February and that they’d secretly become engaged in late 2019.
Symonds, an environment and animal welfare activist is a former spokesperson for Johnson’s Conservative Party.
Johnson is the fourth British prime minister to welcome a child while in office following David Cameron, Tony Blair and Lord John Russell.
Congratulatory messages to the couple have been pouring in on social media.
Keir Starmer, the leader of the main opposition Labour party, described it as “wonderful news”.
Wonderful news. Many congratulations to Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds. https://t.co/x3jD1cQUqY
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 29, 2020
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it was “good news”, adding that she’s “wishing health and happiness to the wee one.”
Some good news – sending congratulations to Carrie and the PM. And wishing health and happiness to the wee one. https://t.co/V2k1KKqVN7
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) April 29, 2020
Britain’s first couple has yet to reveal the name of their son but bookmakers have Wilfred as the favourite for punters.
The Germanic name, meaning “he who wants peace”, has been cut from 14/1 into 5/1, according to Oddschecker, an odds comparison site.
Other names considered to be in the running are George and Thomas — both on 8/1 odds — followed by Arthur on 10/1 and Oliver and Winston, both fetching odds of 12/1.
Johnson is a known admirer of war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill, even penning a biography of his hero.
The Prime Minister’s first four children are called Lara Lettice, Theodore Appolo, Cassia Peaches and Milo Arthur.
