Spouse of the prime minister of the United Kingdom

The spouse of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the wife or husband of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

History
There have been forty-four women and three men who have been married to British prime ministers in office. There have also been four bachelor and nine widower prime ministers; the last bachelor was Edward Heath (1970–1974) and the last widower was Ramsay MacDonald (1924, 1929–1935). 

The Duke of Grafton (1766–1768) is the only Prime Minister to have divorced and remarried while in office, while Boris Johnson was the only one to have a de jure spouse in Marina Wheeler, due to their separation in 2018. Johnson eventually married Carrie Johnson in 2021. They were the first unmarried couple to live in Downing Street before their marriage.

Role
The role of the British prime minister's spouse is not an official office and are not given a salary or official duties. Over time the position has evolved. Cherie Blair, have gained public attention through their own independent careers and achievements, as well as attending engagements such as the African First Ladies Summit.

Living former spouses
There are currently seven living spouses of former prime ministers:
Spouse Prime Minister Tenure Date of birthLongevity Dame Norma Major John Major1990–1997   Cherie Blair Tony Blair1997–2007   Sarah Brown Gordon Brown2007–2010   Samantha Cameron David Cameron2010–2016   Sir Philip May Theresa May2016–2019   Marina Wheeler Boris Johnson2019–2020   Carrie Johnson2021–2022   Hugh O'Leary Liz Truss2022   Akshata Murty Rishi Sunak2022–2024  

References