Carrie and Boris tied the knot ‘so she wouldn’t feel awkward at G7 summit and Balmoral visit’
CARRIE and Boris married in secret so she would not feel ‘awkward’ at the G7 and Balmoral, insiders have said.
Several sources told The Mail on Sunday the upcoming world leaders’ summit triggered the small wedding, which took Westminster by surprise last weekend.
The importance of the summit – where Carrie, 33, will be in charge of all the leaders’ spouses, including Jill Biden on the American President’s first trip abroad – meant the couple was keen for her to be Mrs Johnson among the other wives.
G7 member Japan is also more ‘traditional’ towards marriage, which makes the summit easier with Carrie attending as Mrs Johnson. One Tory source said: ‘It wouldn’t have been impossible but it would have been awkward for her to go as a girlfriend. Some countries, such as Japan, are quite traditional about it – they want wives mixing with wives.’
This week’s summit will be the first major engagement for the new Mrs Johnson, who is expected to take the spouses of the other world leaders on a tour of Cornwall.
As well as Jill Biden, 70, the other spouses include France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron, 68, Joachim Sauer, 72, husband of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, 46, wife of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau.
It is understood the couple were also keen to be married by the next time they visit Balmoral, after their 2019 stay triggered reports the Queen was ‘uncomfortable’ with their unmarried status.
Carla Bruni’s wedding to Nicolas Sarkozy was rushed through ahead of her accompanying him on a state visit to Balmoral.
Saudi Arabia also reportedly said Ms Bruni could not visit as the then French President’s girlfriend, and India had also expressed reservations about protocol.
The couple married in a private
Catholic ceremony at Westminster Cathedral last Saturday, with a small group of family and friends present.
They proceeded with a small reception in the Downing Street garden, where an official photograph of the bride and groom was taken.
The couple have already sent save-the-date cards for a wider celebration on July 30 next year.
The couple’s one-year-old son Wilfred attended the small wedding in the cathedral where he had previously been baptised.
The bride wore a rented long lace gown and a floral headband.
She has taken the Prime Minister’s surname and is now known as Mrs Johnson.
It is understood Mrs Johnson was unhappy that an unofficial snap, presumed to have been taken by a guest, circulated on social media.
Several outfits were delivered to Downing Street last week, thought to be options for Mrs Johnson in preparation for the summit, which gets under way on Friday.
Downing Street declined to comment on the timing of the wedding.
‘Countries like Japan want wives with wives’