Boris Johnson facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Boris Johnson
Official portrait, 2019

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 24 July 2019 – 6 September 2022
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Deputy	Dominic Raab
Preceded by	Theresa May
Succeeded by	Liz Truss
Leader of the Conservative Party
In office 23 July 2019 – 5 September 2022
Preceded by	Theresa May
Succeeded by	Liz Truss
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
In office 13 July 2016 – 9 July 2018
Prime Minister	Theresa May
Preceded by	Philip Hammond
Succeeded by	Jeremy Hunt
Mayor of London
In office 3 May 2008 – 9 May 2016
Deputy	Richard Barnes Victoria Borwick Roger Evans
Preceded by	Ken Livingstone
Succeeded by	Sadiq Khan
Member of Parliament for Uxbridge and South Ruislip
In office 7 May 2015 – 12 June 2023
Preceded by	John Randall
Succeeded by	Steve Tuckwell
Member of Parliament for Henley
In office 7 June 2001 – 4 June 2008
Preceded by	Michael Heseltine
Succeeded by	John Howell
Shadow Cabinet portfolios
2004	Arts
2005–2007	Higher Education

Personal details
Born	Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (1964-06-19) 19 June 1964 (age 61) New York City, US
Citizenship	United Kingdom United States (until 2016)
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	Allegra Mostyn-Owen (1987⁠–⁠1993) Marina Wheeler (m. 1993; div. 2020) Carrie Symonds (m. 2021)
Parents	Stanley Johnson Charlotte Fawcett
Relatives	Johnson family
Residence	Brightwell Manor
Education	Eton College Balliol College, Oxford
Occupation	Politician author journalist
Signature

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician. He was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022.

Many people have different opinions about Boris Johnson in British politics. His supporters often say he is funny, clever, and entertaining.

Early Life and Education
Early Career in Media
Political Journey
- Prime Minister (2019–2022)
After Being Prime Minister (2022–Present)
Interesting Facts About Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson Quotes
Personal Life
- Relationships and Family
Honours and Awards
Books by Boris Johnson
Images for kids
See Also

Early Life and Education

Boris Johnson was born in New York City in the United States. He is the oldest of four children. His father, Stanley Johnson, used to be a politician in the European Parliament. His mother, Charlotte Fawcett, was a painter.

Johnson went to school at the European School in Brussels. He also studied at Ashdown House and Eton College. Later, he studied Classics (ancient Greek and Roman history and languages) at Balliol College, Oxford.

Early Career in Media

After university, Johnson started working at The Times newspaper in 1987. He then moved to The Daily Telegraph, where he wrote important articles about politics. His writing was popular, and he won an award for it.

He also wrote columns for The Spectator magazine and reviewed cars for GQ magazine.

Johnson became well-known after appearing on the BBC comedy show Have I Got News for You in 1998. He was invited back many times, even as a guest host. This made him a recognisable face, and he appeared on other TV shows like Top Gear.

From 1999 to 2008, Boris Johnson was the editor of The Spectator magazine.

Political Journey

Johnson giving a victory speech in City Hall after being elected as the Mayor of London

The New Routemaster bus introduced by Johnson's administration

Johnson at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Johnson became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 2001. He was part of the main opposition team for a while. In 2008, he was elected Mayor of London. He left his job as an MP to focus on being mayor. He was re-elected as mayor in 2012. Johnson did not run for a third term and stepped down in May 2016.

In 2015, he was elected as an MP again for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Johnson was a leading figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union, known as Brexit. After the public voted for Brexit, Prime Minister Theresa May made him the foreign secretary. He later resigned from this role in 2018 because he disagreed with May's plans for Brexit.

Johnson then became the leader of the Conservative Party and succeeded Theresa May as prime minister.

Prime Minister (2019–2022)

On 24 July 2019, Boris Johnson became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He worked with Dominic Cummings, who had helped him during the Brexit campaign.

Johnson discussing Brexit with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris

Johnson signing the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement

Johnson re-opened talks about Brexit with the European Union. After agreeing to a new Brexit deal, but not getting enough support in Parliament, he called a new general election in December 2019. His party won by a large amount.

During his time as prime minister, his government dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. They introduced emergency rules to help control the virus and started a country-wide vaccination programme.

In terms of international relations, Johnson supported a large free trade agreement between the European Union and South American countries. His government also focused on the "Special Relationship" with the United States. In 2022, his government introduced a plan to send people who entered the UK illegally to Rwanda.

In July 2022, Johnson announced his resignation as prime minister. This happened after many members of his government resigned. Liz Truss, who was his foreign secretary, took over as prime minister.

After Being Prime Minister (2022–Present)

Johnson remained an MP until June 2023.

In October 2023, Johnson announced he would join the television channel GB News. He will work as a commentator and programme maker for upcoming elections.

Johnson's book Unleashed was released in October 2024.

Interesting Facts About Boris Johnson

As a child, Boris Johnson had severe deafness. He had many operations to have grommets put in his ears.
Johnson was given the middle name "Boris" after a friend of his parents, Boris Litwin.
He was the first prime minister to be born outside British territories.
Johnson knows several languages, including French, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin, and Ancient Greek.
He admires the ancient Greek statesman Pericles.

Boris Johnson Quotes

"It is easy to make promises - it is hard work to keep them."
"I'm in politics to change things - if possible, for the better."
"My friends, as I have discovered myself, there are no disasters, only opportunities. And, indeed, opportunities for fresh disasters."
"We cannot turn our backs on Europe. We are part of Europe."

Personal Life

Boris Johnson was born in New York City to British parents. This meant he had both British and American dual citizenship. In 2016, he gave up his US citizenship.

Relationships and Family

Johnson with his then-fiancée Carrie Symonds at the 2020 Commonwealth Day service

In 1987, Johnson married Allegra Mostyn-Owen. They divorced in 1993. Twelve days later, Johnson married Marina Wheeler, a lawyer. They had four children together: Lara Lettice, Milo Arthur, Cassia Peaches, and Theodore Apollo. Johnson and Wheeler separated in 2018 and divorced in 2020.

In 2019, Johnson began living with Carrie Symonds. They got engaged in late 2019, and their son, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, was born in April 2020.

On 29 May 2021, Johnson married Carrie Symonds. Their daughter, Romy Iris Charlotte Johnson, was born in December 2021. Their third child, a son named Frank Alfred Odysseus Johnson, was born in July 2023.

Johnson is the oldest of four children. His siblings are Rachel Johnson, a writer; Leo Johnson, a broadcaster; and Jo Johnson, a former politician. He also has two half-siblings from his father's second marriage.

Johnson has a varied family background. His paternal grandfather was an RAF pilot. His great-grandfather, Ali Kemal, was a Turkish journalist and politician. Johnson's ancestry also includes English, German, and French roots. He has described himself as a "one-man melting pot" because of his diverse family history.

Honours and Awards

Order of Liberty

Honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) from Brunel University London, 2007
Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects (Hon FRIBA), 2011
Honorary Australian of the Year in the UK, 26 January 2014
Became a member of the Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council on 15 July 2016. This gave him the title "The Right Honourable".
Medical Education Ig Nobel Prize, 2020.
Honorary Citizen of Odesa, Ukraine, 2 July 2022
Member of the Order of Liberty (Ukraine), 24 August 2022
Honorary Citizen of Kyiv, Ukraine, 19 January 2023
Honorary Doctorate from Ivan Franko National University, Lviv, Ukraine

Books by Boris Johnson

Friends, Voters, Countrymen (2001)
Johnson's Column (2003)
Lend Me Your Ears (2003)
Seventy-Two Virgins (2004)
Aspire Ever Higher / University Policy for the 21st century (2006)
The Dream of Rome (2006)
Have I Got Views For You (2006)
Life in the Fast Lane: The Johnson Guide to Cars (2007)
The Perils of the Pushy Parents: A Cautionary Tale (2007)
Johnson's Life of London (2011)
The Churchill Factor (2014)
Unleashed (2024)

Images for kids

Ashdown House preparatory school, East Sussex, attended by Johnson from 1975 to 1977
Johnson helped introduce a public bicycle system in London, often called "Boris Bikes".
Johnson studied Classics at Balliol College, Oxford.
As a politician focused on higher education, Johnson visited many universities.
Johnson promised to replace certain buses with New Routemaster buses if he became mayor.
Johnson at the opening of NASDAQ in 2009.
The New Routemaster bus introduced by Johnson's administration.
Johnson's response to the 2011 London riots.
Johnson lighting the flame at the 2010 London Youth Games opening ceremony.
Official portrait of Johnson as Foreign Secretary.
Johnson with US president Donald Trump in 2017.
Johnson visiting the British Virgin Islands after Hurricane Irma.
Johnson meeting with Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran in December 2017.
Johnson with former UK prime minister Gordon Brown in May 2018.
The logo used during Johnson's campaign to become party leader in 2019.
Johnson holding his first cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street, 25 July 2019.
Johnson giving a speech in December 2019 after the 2019 general election.
Johnson appointed Rishi Sunak (right) as Chancellor of the Exchequer in February 2020.
Johnson delivering a press conference on COVID-19, 31 July 2020.
Johnson giving a speech in April 2020 after recovering from COVID-19.
Johnson hosting a virtual G7 meeting in February 2021.
Johnson with US president Joe Biden at the G7 summit in Cornwall, 10 June 2021.
Downing Street, where some gatherings took place.
An image of Johnson at a social gathering, from a report into gatherings during lockdown.
Johnson with Keir Starmer and former prime minister Theresa May, 14 November 2021.
Johnson with US president Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Biarritz, 26 August 2019.
Johnson and Russian president Vladimir Putin at the Berlin Conference on Libya, 19 January 2020.
Johnson with Polish troops and Poland's PM Mateusz Morawiecki in Warsaw, 10 February 2022.
Johnson walks on a street of war-hit Kyiv along with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 10 April 2022.
Johnson at a protest against hospital closures in March 2006.
Johnson spoke about climate action at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow on 1 November 2021.
Johnson with EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, 16 September 2019.
Johnson speaking at Westminster Abbey's Commonwealth Day Service, 2020.