Painter and Former UK Prime Minister's Mother Passes Away... "Continued Artistic Work Despite Parkinson's Disease"

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson
[Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Charlotte Johnson Wahl, the mother of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and a painter, passed away at the age of 79, BBC and other media reported on the 14th (local time).

According to reports, Johnson's family stated that Charlotte passed away suddenly but peacefully at St Mary's Hospital in London. Charlotte continued her artistic work even after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease at the age of 40.

Charlotte met Johnson's father, Stanley Johnson, while attending Oxford University. Although she had a fianc?, she fell in love with Stanley, married him after eight months, and gave birth to their first son, Boris Johnson, in 1964. They had three more children but divorced in 1979.

Charlotte later married American historian Nicholas Wahl in 1988 but maintained a good relationship with her ex-husband. She stayed out of the spotlight despite her son becoming a famous politician and was known to have supported Brexit (the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union).

Charlotte's father was Sir James Fawcett, who served as an advisor to the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the European Commission of Human Rights.

Following the news of Charlotte's death, British politicians have been leaving messages of condolence through their social media accounts.