Carrie Symonds’ pregnancy timeline: From when she and Boris Johnson announced the news to the arrival of their baby boy

It seems like a lifetime ago that Boris Johnson announced that he and his partner were engaged and expecting a baby.

The news, which came on the eve of a stormy Saturday for Downing Street following the public resignation of a top Home Office adviser over bullying allegations, shocked Westminster.

But few knew just how tumultuous the next two months would be for them and the nation.

Here, we take a look back at the roller coaster of a ride the last month has been for the couple.

February 29, 2020

Things kicked off at the turn of the month when, after Sir Philip Rutnam’s damaging resignation, the couple revealed they had been engaged since December.

But the biggest part of the announcement was that Carrie Symonds, 32, Mr Johnson’s ex-Tory staffer partner, was expecting their first baby son.

It meant the Prime Minister had become the first ever to occupy Downing Street unwedded.

At the time, the UK had less than 100 confirmed coronavirus cases and no deaths.

March 7, 2020

The first pictures emerged of Ms Symonds with her baby bump, while at an event to mark International Women’s Day.

March 27, 2020 

Boris Johnson tested positive for Covid-19 just under a month later and went into self-isolation.

He was initially still leading the Cabinet by zoom conference calls, but had stepped back from public duties such as leading the Downing Street daily briefings.

However, as his health continued to deteriorate, he withdrew from work too.

April 4, 2020

It then emerged that expectant Ms Symonds had also been struck down by the virus.

Bed-ridden in No 11 Downing Street, she tweeted that she had not been tested but was experiencing symptoms and was “on the mend”.

April 5, 2020

The nation was left shocked again on the first Sunday of April, when Mr Johnson was admitted to a general ward at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, after his symptoms had persisted for 10 days.

Downing Street insisted it was only a precaution on the advice of his doctor.

April 6, 2020

The following night Mr Johnson was transferred to intensive care as he continued to battle the disease – a moment he later admitted “could have gone either way”.

April 12, 2020

Three nail-biting nights later, Mr Johnson’s brush with death was seemingly over when he was moved out of intensive care, and then discharged from hospital entirely on April 12.

It later emerged that Ms Symonds had reportedly sent him baby scans and letters while he was in hospital.

Following his discharge, she said she “cannot thank our magnificent NHS enough”.

In an emotional statement posted on Twitter, Ms Symonds added: “There were times last week that were very dark indeed. My heart goes out to all those in similar situations, worried sick about their loved ones.”

April 12 – April 26, 2020

He then spent several weeks recuperating at Chequers, the PM’s official country retreat in the Buckinghamshire hills, where he was joined by his fiancee.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab led the ‘war Cabinet’ in a deputy role as the coronavirus pandemic continued to ravage the country.

April 27, 2020

The Prime Minister finally made a fighting return to work on Monday with an impassioned speech on the steps of Downing Street where he warned: “This is the moment of maximum risk”. 

April 29, 2020

It was expected that Mr Johnson would return to the Commons on Wednesday for Prime Minister’s Questions, however Downing Street’s briefing operation was unusually quiet without explanation.

Then, just before 10am, came the revelation that Ms Symonds had given birth to their baby boy on Wednesday morning in a London hospital – her first child, and Mr Johnson’s sixth.

Well wishes flooded in from across the political spectrum.