Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds name son Wilfred with tribute to 'doctors who saved PM's life'

Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson's first two names nod to both grandfathers

Boris Johnson and his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, have announced the name of their new son: Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson.

The baby’s first two names are after both Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds’s grandfathers, while the name Nicholas is a nod to NHS doctors who saved the prime minister’s life while he was undergoing treatment for coronavirus last month.

Ms Symonds posted a picture of her cradling the newborn on Instagram on Saturday, saying she “couldn’t be happier” and that her “heart is full”, and praised the maternity team at University College Hospital in London.

She said the maternity team ”looked after us so well”.

The couple announced on Wednesday that Ms Symonds had given birth to a baby boy earlier that day.

The birth came just weeks after Mr Johnson was discharged from intensive care where he had been battling coronavirus.

Ms Symonds wrote in her Instagram post: “Introducing Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson born on 29.04.20 at 9am.

“Wilfred after [Johnson’s] grandfather, Lawrie after my grandfather, Nicholas after Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart – the two doctors that saved [Johnson’s] life last month.

“Thank you so, so much to the incredible NHS maternity team at UCLH that looked after us so well. I couldn’t be happier. My heart is full.”

Mr Johnson is expected to take a short paternity leave later this year, by the end of June, as the coronavirus crisis continues to dominate the nation.

Following the birth, a No 10 source told reporters: “I don’t have any exact timings but I do expect the prime minister to take a short period of paternity leave later in the year, rather than now.”

The arrival of baby Wilfred makes Mr Johnson the fourth prime minister in more than 170 years to have a child while in his senior position, following David Cameron, Tony Blair and Lord John Russell.

Ms Symonds became the first partner of the serving prime minister in Downing Street to become a first-time mother.

Downing Street said the new family will live in their Downing Street flat along with their dog Dilyn.

Additional reporting by PA