Downing Street released Boris Johnson and Carrie Johnson’s official Christmas card. It features an image of Dilyn, but not their infant son.
Today, No10 released photos of Carrie the Prime Minister’s Christmas greeting card. It will be delivered to embassies around the world and other important groups.
On the front cover, you will see a Jack Russell cross running in the snow from Downing Street’s garden.
Dilyn was also honored to be featured on the card last year. He is seen wearing green tinsel around the neck and gazing out at the black doors of No10.
This year’s card’s reverse features artwork from a student who attended a school located in Mr Johnson’s West London constituency.
Boris Johnson and Carrie Johnson released their official Christmas card. This includes a picture of Dilyn their dog but not their infant son.
More than 7,000 cards were issued for sending to leaders and embassies around the world.
But neither the Prime Minister, his wife, nor his son Wilfred, now 19 months old, are pictured in the personalised card.
The card did not include Wilfred’s parents signatures.
The choice of Mr Johnson for 2021 was different from many of his predecessors like Tony Blair or David Cameron who placed themselves and their human loved ones under the spotlight.
In 2008, the Camerons card featured Samantha and David with their three children, Arthur (two years old), and Ivan (6 years). Unfortunately, Ivan died in 2009 from complications.
After Mr Johnson made it clear that he preferred Dilyn over Wilfred, the card’s star was Dilyn. The cards covers of previous Prime Ministers were traditionally illustrated with family photographs.
Wilfred (the Prime Minister’s 19 month-old son) was absent from the personalized card for the second consecutive year. It is believed that Mr Johnson and Mrs Symonds want to keep their infant from becoming a “public figure”. Pictured: Boris Johnson and son Wilfred at Peppa Pig World
Tony and Cherie Blair presented a card in 1998 with Euan (14), Nicky (13), and Katherine (10).
It is believed that Mr Johnson and Mrs Symonds want to keep their child from becoming a “public figure”.
According to some, the cover image of Dilyn is part of a collection from an uncontroversial photoshoot in early this year.
The image was taken back in cold February weather by Pippa Fowles, one of Downing St’s three photographers, as part of a ‘Instagram-style’ photoshoot for Dilyn.
This raised concerns about No10’s work as a press operation, which was seen by some to be a vanity project funded by taxpayer funds.
The choices made by Mr Johnson for 2021, and the last year are different from many of his predecessors. Pictured: 1998 – Tony and Cherie Blair’s card, including their children Euan (left), 14, Nicky (right), 13, and Kathryn (front), 10
2008 – David and Samantha Cameron’s Christmas card, showing their children Nancy, Arthur and Ivan, who tragically died
After the government was forced by the court to defend its photos, it stated that they were taken by photographers ‘not only of the PM but of all Cabinet members’.
Ms Fowles, who is understood to be on secondment from the Ministry of Defence, works alongside The PM’s personal photographer, Andrew Parsons, who is employed as a Special Advisor part-time on the equivalent of £100,000 a year.
One day earlier, another No10 photographer published a candid photo of Larry, Downing Street’s main mouser. It was taken on a bookcase beneath a portrait by The Queen.
Angela Rayner, Deputy Labour Leader, criticized the photoshoots. She stated: “The public will rightly question why there appears to be no limit on how much money can be found for a group of vanity photographers for Prime Minister.
The photoshoot of Dilyn the dog in February raised questions about the work of No10’s press operation, which has been described as a personal vanity project
Pippa Fowles (one of Downing Street’s three photographers) is said to have taken the image shown on this card back in February. It was part of an ‘Instagram style’ photoshoot with Dilyn.
This year’s card’s reverse features Tejinder Videe, a student at Uxbridge College and Mr Johnson’s West London constituency.
Tejinder’s watercolour and acrylic artwork of the No10 front door was chosen out of 15 designs submitted by Art, Design & Media students at the college.
The spokesperson at No10 stated that the designs were meant to reflect college’s broad diversity and commitment towards British values.
Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, said: “Many thanks to Uxbridge College’s brilliant art work on the Downing Street Christmas Card.
“I wanted to express my gratitude to Tejinder as well as all students that participated in their amazing designs.