Just Stop Oil have suggested ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne is a legitimate target for environmental protests after a woman was pictured showering him and wife Thea Rogers in orange confetti on their wedding day.
Mr Osborne married Ms Rogers at a ceremony in Somerset this afternoon, in front of a host of Tory bigwigs including David and Samantha Cameron.
There was a moment of confusion after the ceremony when a woman, dressed as if she was attending the wedding, tipped bright orange confetti similar to that seen at Wimbledon this week over the couple as they left the churchyard.
Just Stop Oil did not confirm or deny whether the woman was affiliated with them, but said Mr Osborne ‘carries a heavy responsibility’ for governments’ inaction on climate change.
But the confetti was remarkably similar to that thrown across WImbledon’s tennis courts this week in two separate incidents – one of which affected the UK’s Katie Boulter’s first round match.
It came after the cream of the Conservative party descended on the sleepy Somerset town of Bruton today, dubbed the ‘Notting Hill of the West’ to watch Ms Rogers, 40, and Mr Osborne, 52, tie the knot in front of around 200 guests.
A woman, dressed as if she was attending the wedding, tipped bright orange confetti similar to that seen at Wimbledon this week over the couple
The couple looked behind them in some confusion as the confetti was thrown
After the wedding, George Osborne and his new wife Thea left the church and posed among a floral archway
Former chancellor George Osborne with his wife and former adviser, Thea Rogers, outside St Mary’s Church
Thea Rogers arrives with her father Paul Rogers before her marriage to former UK Chancellor George Osborne
Osborne, 52, and Rogers, 40, announced their engagement in April 2021, with the former Cabinet minister saying at the time: ‘I have probably never been happier in my life’
The couple posed for photographs before leaving the churchyard
Footage from outside the church showed the woman, who was wearing a floral dress and a suit jacket, approached the couple as they were escorted by a security guard towards a waiting vehicle.
She took a handful of orange confetti from a paper bag with a Union Jack printed on it and threw it over the backs of the newlyweds, before tipping the remnants over Mr Osborne’s head and jacket.
The confetti was very similar to that released by several activists on Centre Court at Wimbledon this week – although those Just Stop Oil protesters wore t-shirts revealing their affiliation to the group.
The couple looked behind them, appearing puzzled, but the woman did not appear to speak to them.
Their security guard then held out an arm to keep the woman at a distance from the couple.
When asked if a member of Just Stop Oil was behind the move, the organisation refused to say – but they did share a cryptic tweet including a video of the moment, adding: ‘You look good in orange @George_Osborne — congratulations to the newlyweds.’
A spokesperson for the organisation added: ‘As a Conservative politician and prominent news editor, George Osborne carries a heavy responsibility for the inability of successive Government to address the climate crisis.
‘Unless fossil fuel licenses are halted immediately, we’re all going to pay a heavy cost for the failings of men like Osborne.’
Earlier in the day, Ms Rogers was pictured arriving in a strapless white gown and veil, walking alongside her father, Paul, both of whom were shielded from the rain by umbrellas outside the 14th Century St Mary’s Church this afternoon.
Former Prime Minister Cameron, who worked with Osborne in Downing Street between 2010 and 2016, joined the likes of Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock at the ceremony.
The woman was dressed as if she was a wedding guest but did not seem to speak to the couple
The bride and her delegation shelter from the rain under large umbrellas on Saturday aftrnoon
The wedding of former Chancellor George Osborne to Thea Rogers at St Mary’s Church in Bruton, Somerset
They were all smiles as they headed to the waiting car after tying the know
Other notable guests included former cabinet minister Sajid Javid, ex-party leader Lord Hague and his wife Ffion, and Mark Carney, the former Bank of England governor.
As well as politicians there were a host of well-known journalists.
They included Today Programme host Nick Robinson, former Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, ex-BBC correspondent Jon Sopel, former Sky News political editor Adam Boulton with his wife Anji Hunter, an adviser in Downing Street under Sir Tony Blair, and Mariella Frostrup.
Mr Osborne was not seen arriving at the church, but Ms Rogers walked through the churchyard to claps from well-wishers.
She walked into the church accompanied by two large umbrellas due to the light rain.
The service, which lasted nearly an hour, included music from Beethoven’s Ode To Joy and Hubert Parry’s Jerusalem.
After the smiling couple emerged from the church afterwards, the bells rang and a smartly dressed woman showered them with orange confetti from a Union flag paper bag.
Mr Osborne looked behind him as she approached the couple before throwing the confetti over the groom.
The grey-haired woman, in a floral dress and pale coloured jacket, emptied the bag of confetti near the couple before she left after being spoken to by two men.
The couple looked puzzled, but did not appear to speak to the woman.
The couple grinned at one another as they walked along the churchyard
Thea Rogers beams in her white dress as she arrived at the wedding venue
She and her father Paul Rogers were shielded from the rain by aides holding umbrellas
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove was this afternoon pictured outside the 14th Century St Mary’s Church
David Cameron and his wife Samantha were among those to descend on the sleepy Somerset town of Bruton today
Groom George Osborne was not seen arriving outside the church
The stunt came just days after activists from Just Stop Oil stormed Centre Court at Wimbledon, scattering orange confetti and jigsaw pieces as they went.
Play had to be paused on two separate occasions, the protesters removed from the ground and the debris cleaned up.
And last week three other protesters ran onto the cricket pitch at Lord’s during the Ashes test series against Australia.
The group have ramped up their protests at major sporting events in recent weeks, and there are fears they could disrupt the Silverstone Grand Prix tomorrow.
Earlier this afternoon, staff were seen arranging flowers and carrying equipment as the final touches were applied to the big day.
Osborne and Rogers announced their engagement in April 2021, with the former Cabinet minister saying at the time: ‘I have probably never been happier in my life.’
The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Beau, in July of the same year, before their second son, Arthur, was born on December 30 last year.
Osborne also has two older children, Luke and Liberty, from his first marriage to author Frances Howell, who he divorced in 2019 after 21 years of marriage.
Rogers, who recently said she would be stepping back from her executive role at food delivery firm Deliveroo, worked together with Osborne as she joined the Treasury from the BBC, initially working as a special adviser before being promoted to become his chief of staff in 2015.
She was tasked with reinventing the minister’s image, including ‘metrosexualising’ him by putting him on the 5:2 diet, which encourages fasting for two days and eating normally for five.
Since leaving No11, Osborne has held a number of jobs, including as a partner at boutique City investment bank, Robey Warshaw, which has propelled him into the upper ranks of the City.
A key lieutenant in Cameron’s Conservative government, Osborne is also chairman at the British Museum and of the ‘partners council’ which oversees Exor, the holding company of the Italian billionaire Agnelli family.
He was editor of the Evening Standard between 2017 and 2020, and is a director of his father’s wallpaper company Osborne & Little.
The former Prime Minister, who worked with Osborne in Downing Street between 2010 and 2016, joined the likes of Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock at the 14th Century St Mary’s Church this afternoon
William Hague and wife Ffion arrive at St Mary’s Church in Brunton, Somerset, for the wedding of former chancellor George Osborne and his former adviser Thea Rogers
Broadcaster Jon Sopel (middle) and former chancellor and health secretary Sajid Javid were pictured at the venue today
Sajid Javid arrives at the church in Somerset with his wife, sporting a well-shaven beard
Guests battled their way through rain and wind on Saturday to arrive at the wedding in time
Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney, (right) arrives at the church for the wedding
Former health secretary Matt Hancock was also in attendance at the wedding this afternoon
Adam Boulton and wife Anji Hunter were also pictured arriving at the venue this afternoon
The wedding is taking place in Bruton, a trendy bolthole dubbed ‘the Notting Hill of the West’ thanks to its influx of well-heeled celebrities such as Sam Taylor-Johnson and designers Stella McCartney and Alice Temperley
Staff were seen arranging flowers at St Mary’s Church in Bruton, Somerset, this afternoon
Staff were seen working hard this morning, putting the final preparations for the wedding in place
Flowers are carried in to St Mary’s Church in Bruton, Somerset, ahead of the wedding today
The wedding will see a host of Conservative Party bigwigs descend on the sleepy town
Preparations continue ahead of former Chancellor George Osborne’s wedding to Thea Rogers later today
He is also believed to have worked on the sale of Chelsea Football Club, of whom he is a fan, to American tycoon Todd Boehly.
The wedding is taking place in Bruton, a trendy bolthole dubbed ‘the Notting Hill of the West’ thanks to its influx of well-heeled celebrities such as Sam Taylor-Johnson and designers Stella McCartney and Alice Temperley.
A church spokesman said last week: ‘We are delighted to welcome Thea and George as they celebrate their wedding at St Mary’s, as have so many other couples over the years.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk