Boris Johnson’s nativity story – the Mexican connection

We are all supposed to address Boris as ‘The Foreign Secretary’, but did you know why Boris is called Boris?

It is a charming nativity story with a close connection to the London diplomatic community, specifically the work of Barbara Litwin, a dedicated member of staff at the Mexican Embassy, who worked at the Embassy for 42 years, despite suffering from multiple sclerosis.

Early in her career she struck up a friendship with two young Oxford students, Stanley and Charlotte Johnson, and persuaded them to visit Mexico and her father, Boris Litwin. Charlotte was eight months pregnant at the time, and on hearing that the couple were travelling to New York by bus, he gave them two first class plane tickets. In gratitude, the British couple named their first born Boris – none other than Britain’s Foreign Secretary, who confirmed this via video link at a special event dedicated to Barbara, where guests could view her photo albums chronicling the highlights of her time working for the Embassy

Photo: Acting Ambassador David Najera and Stanley Johnson