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Well, no, not really

Carrie Symonds will join Boris Johnson at Balmoral and become first PM’s girlfriend to meet Queen

Difficult to recall whether any of our recent milquetoasts actually had girlfriends. But Edwina Currie’s definitely met the Queen.

18 thoughts on “Well, no, not really”

  1. Didn’t Wilson also have a more or less live-in bit on the side, became lady Something-or-other…?

  2. The other way around of course, many prime ministers, probably most of them, have met the King’s girlfriend(s).

  3. Marcia Williams, subsequently Lady Falkender was Wilson’s secretary. Is this where the term ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ originated? I’m not sure whether carnality was a feature of their relationship.

  4. That’s the one, Mr B.

    I may be mistaken about the carnality, but certainly had the impression the relationship was of that type.

  5. Umm, she was unmarried, had children. But not Wilson’s. Think she was living with a journalist – a Labour Correspondent or some such, maybe for the Mirror? Back in the days when a Labor Correspondent was something of a King among journalists.

  6. Ten seconds’ googling seems to agree.

    I apologise to the Shades of both.

    Lloyd George…?

    Palmerston?

    Wellington?

  7. Back in the Wislon tyranny I was the beneficiary of more than a little journalistic gossip. Uncle who got me into the City was a big buddy of the financial editor of one of the dailies, for a start. Way I heard it at the time, the Marcia Williams story had legs but no-one was interested in taking it for a walk.

  8. Wilson must have been desperate or had poor taste–Marcia Williams was not an attractive woman. Indeed downright ugly would be my assessment of her.

    I checked the Net for photos to see if my memory was accurate. And was startled when a photo of a reasonably attractive woman appeared prominent amongst several images of Williams. However when looking at the other photos it became obvious that the good photo was of an actress playing Williams –including a Williams -style blond wig. Either that or all the other photographers were piss-poor examples of their trade. If Williams had looked like the actress an affair with Wilson would have been a lot more credible.

  9. Is she classed as a girlfriend if he’s married? Many of them would have been mistresses (although that implies a financial relationship as well, which possibly wasn’t there with Currie). Paramour? Bit on the side?

  10. Ted S, Catskill Mtns, NY, USA

    Wilson must have been desperate or had poor taste–Marcia Williams was not an attractive woman. Indeed downright ugly would be my assessment of her.

    If she was his secretary, is it possible they liked each other for reasons that go beyond looks?

    TMB: The term “Kitchen Cabinet” goes back to US president Andrew Jackson and the unofficial advisers he had during one period of controversy about gossip over one of the official cabinet members’ wives. It’s loosely covered in the 1930s movie The Gorgeous Hussy with Joan Crawford as the cabinet wife who sparks the vicious gossip.

  11. Difficult to recall whether any of our recent milquetoasts actually had girlfriends

    I assume David Cameron had himself cloned for autofellatio purposes.

  12. Bloke no Longer in Austria

    I thought Marcia admitted to doing the dirty with Wilson, but early on in their careers and not while he was PM ?
    Anyway she knew where all the bodies were buried, so the shifty little crook had to keep her close.

    Wasn’t Cameron up to it with that ginger editor bird ? The one who used to beat up Ross Kemp.

  13. @Steve,

    I’m fairly sure that pigs’ heads can be obtained from the average butcher’s vastly cheaper than actually cloning oneself.

  14. BLA , Rebecca something. Cameron made a cryptic comment about going for a wild and unpredictable ride, with nobody being quite sure if he was referring to her or one of her horses. Or, being an Old Etonian, possibly both.

  15. Not actually what the article says, which is she will be the first unmarried partner to stay at Balmoral Castle.

    Lots of historical mistresses, and two single PMs who married in office, but all well before Balmoral was purchased in 1852.

    I doubt Edwina ever made the guest list. So the article may well be correct.

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