Only five children have ever been born to a sitting prime minister, with the sixth now expected this Christmas.
Boris and Carrie Johnson have revealed her second Downing Street pregnancy, with Mrs Johnson saying she feels “incredibly blessed to be pregnant again” but also “like a bag of nerves” following a miscarriage earlier this year.
Three of the five children born to parents living in Number 10 arrived in the last 21 years, and none at all were born in the 20th century.
#5 – Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, born April 2020
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Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie Johnson and their son Wilfred
Wilfred Johnson was born nine months after his father Boris Johnson became prime minister, and just a few weeks after his father had left hospital after being admitted for COVID-19.
At the time, Mrs Johnson used Instagram to announce the name of her first son, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson – with the name Nicholas chosen in a nod to the two doctors who saved the prime minister’s life.
The baby was named after the prime minister’s grandfather, Wilfred, and his mother’s grandfather, Lawrie, as well as the two doctors, Dr Nick Price and Professor Nick Hart, who treated him in intensive care.
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Carrie and Wilfred Johnson with Jill Biden on beach in Carbis Bay, Cornwall. Pic: Flickr/Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street
He was the first Downing Street baby who was the first born of their parents’ relationship. Although Mr Johnson has children from previous relationships – as did the first PM to have a child while in office – Wilfred is his first with Mrs Johnson.
All of the other prime ministers had previous children with their wives before having a baby while living in Downing Street.
Which PM had the most children?
Although Mr Johnson has children from previous relationships, he doesn’t have as many as Charles Grey – the 2nd Earl Grey (namesake of the tea) – who fathered 17 children before serving as PM from 1830 to 1834. One was considered “illegitimate” under the laws of the time.
Wilfred is also the first child born to a prime minister who wasn’t married. Boris Johnson, 57, tied the knot with his wife, 33, in a small ceremony at Westminster Cathedral a little more than a year after Wilfred’s birth.
#4 – Florence Rose Endellion Cameron, born August 2010
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Florence’s third given name, Endellion, came from a Cornish village near where she was born
Florence Cameron was born just three months after her father David Cameron became prime minister.
She was the first ever girl born to parents in Downing Street, and was her parents’ fourth child.
Her third given name, Endellion, came from a Cornish village near where she was born when the family was on holiday.
David Cameron, like Tony Blair, is one of the youngest men to ever be prime minister.
#3 – Leo George Blair, born May 2000
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Tony Blair kisses his youngest son Leo
Leo Blair was born three years after his father Tony Blair became prime minister.
He was the first child born to a prime minister since 1800s, and the fourth child of Tony and Cherie Blair.
He was named after his paternal grandfather Leo.
Born to become prime minister?
The sons of two prime ministers have gone on to become PM themselves.
William Pitt, the 1st Earl of Chatham, was PM from 1766 to 1768. His son, known as William Pitt the Younger for obvious reasons, was PM from 1804 to 1806.
George Grenville was prime minister from 1763 to 1765 and his son, William Grenville, was in office from 1806 to 1807.
His birth provided an immediate boost for the prime minister in the polls, according to contemporary reports.
Labour would subsequently win the 2001 election with a majority of 167 seats, the second largest majority (following Blair’s victory in 1997) since the end of the Second World War.
#2 – Francis Albert Rollo Russell, born July 1849
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John Russell was prime minister from 1846-1852 and 1865-1866
Francis Russell was born on 11 July 1849, to then prime minister John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, a member of the Whig party.
He was the second child born to his father while in office, and the third child of his father’s second marriage.
He was a meteorologist and scientific writer who was cited as a major inspiration by his nephew, the mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell.
#1 – George Gilbert William Russell, born April 1848
George Russell was born on 14 April 1848, the first child ever known to be born of a sitting prime minister – John Russell, and his father’s second wife, Frances Russell.
The pair previously had another son before Mr Russell’s election.
