‘I wonder if she asked him?!’ Twitter users joke Carrie Symonds might have proposed to Boris Johnson as is tradition on a Leap Day (and did Alastair Campbell reveal the news one day early?)
- February 29 is traditionally when women get down on one knee and propose
- Alastair Campbell tweeted yesterday that Boris has ‘a nursery to decorate’
Boris Johnson’s announcement that he and Carrie Symonds are expecting a baby and have got engaged sparked speculation as to whether she took the opportunity of February 29 to propose to the Prime Minister.
The Leap Day is traditionally the day that women can ‘go down on one knee’ and ask men to marry them rather than the other way round.
Well-wishers took to Twitter after the announcement asking: ‘I wonder if she asked him?’
There was also speculation that Alastair Campbell had an early heads up about the baby news as he tweeted yesterday saying Boris ‘has a nursery to decorate, children to count.’
The Leap Day is traditionally the day that women can ‘go down on one knee’
It seems Alastair Campbell had an early heads up about the Prime Minister’s baby
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.’
One Twitter user joked that there ‘was obviously no withdrawal agreement.’
Another pointed out that the last time the Prime Minister got married Miss Symonds was still at primary school.
Miss Symonds was just five when Mr Johnson wed lawyer Marina Wheeler in May 1993.
And one joked about the apparent uncertainty as to how many children Mr Johnson now has.
Former Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson was one of the first to congratulate the Prime Minister on the news that he and fiance Carrie Symonds are expecting a child.
Re-tweeting the news, the MSP wrote: ‘Congratulations to Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds.’
Ms Davidson, who had been critical of Mr Johnson during the European referendum campaign, stepped down as Scottish leader last year to spend more time with her young family.
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 in last year.
But Miss Symonds downplayed the leap year speculation saying on Instagram that they got engaged at the end of last year.
Cheeky Twitter users made fun of the age gap between the couple
Twitter users joked about Boris’s baby announcement
There appears to be some uncertainty as to how many children Mr Johnson now has
Miss Symonds dismissed speculation that she was the one who proposed on a leap year saying they actually got secretly engaged last year