Boris Johnson’s girlfriend Carrie Symonds was nowhere to be seen today as her partner was named new Tory leader and took another step towards becoming Prime Minister.
The former Conservative communications director, 31, gave her boyfriend a wide berth at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in London where it was announced he had defeated Jeremy Hunt by 92,153 votes to 46,656.
But Mr Johnson, 55, was supported by his family, with father Stanley, sister Rachel and brother Jo all in the audience to celebrate with him, regardless of their differing views on Brexit.
It is believed Miss Symonds wants to keep a low profile around her partner’s celebrations because he is not yet divorced from estranged wife Marina, with whom he has four children, and she ‘did not want to overshadow his moment’.
Mr Johnson will now visit Buckingham Palace tomorrow following Theresa May’s official resignation to accept an invitation from the Queen to form a government.
Carrie Symonds was nowhere to be seen at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in London today as Boris Johnson won the Tory leadership election, pictured
His defeated rival Jeremy Hunt sat alongside his wife Lucia, pictured together left, but Mr Johnson was not joined by his partner
But Mr Johnson’s father Stanley, left, sister Rachel, centre, and brother Jo, right, were all the the centre to see the result
Miss Symonds, left leaving Mr Johnson’s Oxfordshire home on Sunday, does not want to be a ‘distraction’ due to his impending divorce from second wife Marina, right with Mr Johnson
Mr Johnson was congratulated by his family after being named as the winner of the Tory leadership race, pictured
Miss Symonds is not expected to accompany Mr Johnson to the Palace or appear alongside him when he makes his first speech outside No.10 Downing Street tomorrow after becoming PM.
New prime minister’s traditionally pose with their husbands or wives upon entering No.10 for the first time, but sources say Miss Symonds fears her presence would be a ‘distraction’.
Instead she will move in over the weekend – after he has chosen his Cabinet.
But Miss Symonds will play an active role behind the scenes and is expected to accompany Mr Johnson to ‘schmooze’ MPs at private parties at Chequers as he tries to win their support for his approach to Brexit.
Sources in the Government told the Telegraph Mr Johnson would give MPs the ‘full treatment’ to unite the party ahead of Brexit and stave off any challenge from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
A source in the whips office said: ‘He has got to schmooze them over the summer with trips to Chequers, making sure he meets them and their other halves. They have got to get to know him, and get the full-on treatment from him.’
The source added MPs wanted Mr Johnson to show them some ‘love’ following Theresa May’s premiership while he has been ‘encouraged to give senior roles’ to Brexiteers including Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker to keep the European Research Group onside.
They added: ‘He has got to understand the breadth of patronage available to him and be prepared to use it.’
Miss Symonds is not expected to be seen with Mr Johnson at all today and was not among the crowd at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre, pictured
Mr Johnson and Miss Symonds, pictured together in Sussex earlier this month in a controversial photo that some claim was ‘staged’, are set to work together to ‘schmooze’ MPs following his victory to try to unite the Conservative Party ahead of Brexit
Jeremy Hunt was supported by his wife Lucia at the event today with the pair pictured here entering the conference centre in London
Miss Symonds, daughter of Matthew Symonds, co-founder of the Independent, works in PR for Oceana, an organisation which campaigns for policies to protect and restore the world’s oceans, and will remain in the role despite moving into No. 10.
They have appeared in public together before with Carrie attending her boyfriend’s campaign launch in June to show her support.
Last week the Mail revealed Miss Symonds had told friends she doesn’t want to be ‘in the limelight’ when Mr Johnson fulfils his lifetime ambition of becoming PM.
The couple were seen leaving Mr Johnson’s home in Oxfordshire on Sunday but were not photographed together. They have been together for more than a year and have been living together at her flat in Camberwell, south London.
Last week they completed a purchase of a three-storey £1.3million Victorian home in Camberwell and Miss Symonds was seen moving her things in with mother Josephine Mcafee.
The couple caused controversy amid reports they wanted to use taxpayers’ funds to get new furniture for No. 10, with Miss Symonds refusing to move any of hers in – although sources close to Mr Johnson have since denied the reports.
They also hit the headlines last month after police were called to her flat following a blazing row between the couple – with a recording of the clash handed to The Guardian by neighbours.
But sources stress the couple are ‘stronger than ever’ and are fully prepared for life in No. 10.
Since the ‘row’ she has been pictured with Boris holding hands while sitting together at a table in Sussex countryside, although they were later accused of ‘staging the moment’.
She was also seen trying on rings at a Notting Hill jewellers with close friend and FGM campaigner Nimco Ali earlier this month.
Although he has been all too willing to attract publicity for his political advantage, Mr Johnson, 55, has been reticent when it comes to details of his private life.
He met his first wife, Allegra Mostyn-Owen, while they were students at Oxford, and they wed in 1987, but the marriage was annulled in 1993.
His second marriage, to Marina Wheeler, ended last year after 25 years together, during which they had four children.
The marriage was turbulent – in 2004 he was sacked from the Tory frontbench over a reported affair with journalist Petronella Wyatt and the Appeal Court ruled in 2013 that the public had a right to know that he had fathered a daughter during an adulterous liaison while mayor of London in 2009.
Questions about his character were often raised during the leadership race, with a Tory member at a hustings event in Perth asking him whether a good prime minister needed to be ‘a loyal husband and father’.
He was warned that his refusal to answer questions on the issue would mean that voters ‘come to their own conclusion and it may not be a favourable one’.
Mr Johnson said: ‘Then I’m going to have to live with that.’
Despite the reservations some Tory members have, Mr Johnson’s status as a favourite of the Conservative grassroots was confirmed in the leadership election which saw him trounce rival Jeremy Hunt.
He also secured the votes of more than half of Tory MPs in order to make it through the parliamentary stage of the contest, including some pro-EU Conservatives who believe he can unite the party.
Sources say Miss Symonds will not appear with Mr Johnson, pictured outside his Westminster office, at all today to avoid becoming a ‘distraction’