Boris Johnson
A charismatic and chaotic political force who led Britain through Brexit and a pandemic with a unique brand of bluster and bombast.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022·Birthday: June 19·Baby Boomers
Biography
Boris Johnson's path to 10 Downing Street was anything but conventional. Born in New York City to upper-class British parents, he was educated at Eton and Oxford, where he honed a persona of studied dishevelment and classical wit. His early career saw him as a Brussels correspondent, where his often exaggerated Eurosceptic reporting made him a darling of the British right. Elected as Mayor of London in 2008, he surprised many with a pragmatic and largely successful two terms, championing bikes and buses with populist flair. His return to Parliament set the stage for his defining role: the figurehead of the 2016 Vote Leave campaign. His subsequent ascent to Prime Minister in 2019 was built on a promise to 'Get Brexit Done,' which he achieved, but his tenure was dominated by the COVID-19 crisis and marred by scandals over lockdown-breaking parties in government. His resignation in 2022 ended a tumultuous chapter, cementing his legacy as a divisive but unforgettable character in modern British history.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Boris was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Boris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Boris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022, delivering Brexit and overseeing the initial national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Won two terms as Mayor of London (2008-2016), overseeing the 2012 Olympic Games and introducing the city's cycle hire scheme.
- Was a leading figure in the successful 2016 Vote Leave campaign for the UK to exit the European Union.
- Authored several books, including a biography of Winston Churchill and the novel 'Seventy-Two Virgins'.
Did You Know?
He was born Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson in New York City and held dual UK-US citizenship until 2016, when he renounced his American citizenship.
He worked briefly as a management consultant after university, a job he reportedly hated.
He won a national newspaper competition for a Latin translation while at Eton.
He was fired from his first job as a Times reporter for fabricating a quote.
“My policy on cake is pro having it and pro eating it.”
