Ex-chancellor George Osborne announces his engagement to Thea Rogers
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George Osborne has announced his engagement to his former adviser Thea Rogers.
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The couple, who are expecting a child in the summer, confirmed their upcoming wedding in The Times today with a short message: ‘The engagement is announced between Thea and George.’
Father-of-two Mr Osborne, 49, revealed last May he was dating his former chief of staff Ms Rogers, 39, who helped to overhaul his image when he served as Chancellor.
The couple have since announced they are expecting their first child, with a friend of George and takeaway app executive Thea saying they ‘couldn’t be happier’.
It comes as Ms Rogers is set to receive a mammoth pay cheque from Deliveroo this month when her food-to-go giant floats on the stock market, earning her millions.
Former Evening Standard editor-in-chief Mr Osborne found love with Thea two years ago following his separation from the mother of his two children Frances.
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George Osborne has announced his engagement to his former adviser Thea Rogers. The pair are seen together in May 2015
© Provided by Daily Mail
The couple, who are expecting a child in the summer, confirmed their upcoming wedding in The Times today with a short message: ‘The engagement is announced between Thea and George’
Ms Rogers was his Chief of Staff when he was Chancellor and before that his special adviser.
Soon after they got together, he said of Thea: ‘I probably have never been happier in my life.’
Mr Osborne has two children – Luke and Liberty – with his ex-wife Frances, 52, who he announced his separation from in 2019. They have since divorced.
After graduating from Oxford University with a first-class degree in modern languages and philosophy, Ms Rogers worked at the BBC and made her way up to be a lead political producer before moving into government in 2012.
She was hired as a political adviser by Mr Osborne, tasked with improving his image.
With Seth Cummings, the ex-husband of Robert Rinder, she ‘metrosexualised’ the austerity chancellor by recommending a close-cropped haircut and new wardrobe.
They also suggested that he lose weight through the 5:2 diet, which involves fasting for two days per week.
Ms Rogers was promoted to Mr Osborne’s chief of staff and received a 42 per cent pay rise to £98,000 after the Tory party won the 2015 election.
She previously dated Ameetpal Gill, David Cameron’s chief speechwriter-turned-director of strategy, and James Purnell, the former Labour Cabinet Minister.
Ms Rogers was involved in a row in 2007 as Mr Purnell faced questions over whether he broke the ministerial code by using his government car to take her on dates.
She is reportedly close friends with Sir Craig Oliver, Mr Cameron’s closest aide.
Before she worked on Newsnight and for Nick Robinson at the BBC, Ms Rogers was involved in Labour’s 2005 re-election campaign.
She joined Deliveroo as its public relations chief in January 2017 and took her current role last year amid a slew of hires and promotions.
Mr Osborne quit frontline politics in 2017 but has had no shortage of roles since then, and recently took up a lucrative position at investment bank Robey Warshaw. He also chairs the Northern Powerhouse Partnership.
Last month he hit back in the Tory civil war over China as he praised Boris Johnson for ‘seeing off the hotheads’ who he claimed want to start a ‘new Cold War’ with Beijing.
He said he sees ‘a lot of continuity’ between the Prime Minister’s new strategy for relations with China and the ‘golden era’ approach he took when he was in power.
Mr Osborne said the PM ‘should be congratulated’ for facing down Conservative hawks who are demanding the Government take a tougher stance against China.
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It comes as Ms Rogers is set to receive a mammoth pay cheque from Deliveroo this month when her food-to-go giant floats on the stock market, earning her millions
Recently, George and Thea snapped up a £1.6million Georgian home in Bruton, Somerset, where they are part of a chic and elite circle dubbed ‘The New Notting Hill Set’ which counts Ben Goldsmith as its ringleader.
Mr Osborne, an alumnus of Magdalen College, is a close friend of television judge Rob Rinder, and the pair go to fitness training centre Barry’s Bootcamp together.
Last year, he sold his family home for £4.95million, having bought it with Frances for just £1.85 million in 2006.
The former Chancellor also has a £3million chalet in the chic ski resort of Verbier, Switzerland.
Source: Thanks msn.com