Last Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after he and his wife, Victoria, strolled along Downing Street and into their new life, Keir Starmer convened a rare weekend cabinet meeting, which was soon followed by his inaugural press conference as prime minister.
However, it was not the same day for Victoria Starmer. Despite likely experiencing sleep deprivation similar to her husband after the dramatic Thursday night election results, she chose not to spend the day resting or packing up their belongings. Instead, she accompanied friends to Sandown Park racecourse in Surrey where they attended the Coral Eclipse horse race.
It seems unusual for a spokesperson of a new Prime Minister's wife to partake in such an activity on her first public appearance as First Lady, but it appears that the Starmer family intends to adopt their own unique approach. Victoria Starmer, affectionately known as Vic by her husband and friends alike, has not given a newspaper interview during Keir Starmer's tenure as Labour leader or his six-week campaign for general election.
She rarely allows journalists into the family kitchen or accompanies him on trips with political affiliations; however, she does appear by his side at official events and traveled to Washington alongside her husband during the Nato summit this week. According to Keir Starmer, there is a set boundary for their public life that they want to maintain in order to preserve their personal space: "She wants to get on with her life."
The couple's children have not been made public figures yet; neither has their names nor any photographs due to concerns about their privacy and protection. Their desire to keep a low profile is echoed by Tom Baldwin, who spent extensive time studying the family as Keir Starmer's semi-official biographer. "Vic will perform official duties on behayer occasions," he said, "but she intends to continue with her work."
In summary, although Victoria Starmer has chosen not to become a prominent public figure alongside her husband in his new position as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, their private family life continues as it was prior to this change. They maintain an independent existence outside of politics while supporting Keir Starmer during his tenure and making occasional appearances at official events together.
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