Being a public figure (and now former PM), many want to know if Liz Truss has children and other details of her family life.
It's been quite the 45 days for politician Liz Truss, who stepped into Boris Johnson's shoes as Prime Minister officially on September 6 - beating rival Rishi Sunak by an impressive 21,000 votes. Coming to power at what she describes as "a time of great economic and international instability" certainly proved to be a challenge, and despite her best efforts the 47-year-old later announced her resignation from office, leaving many wondering where is Liz Truss now?
Her recent role has had the public hungry for information about her home life - from whether she has children to if she's happily married and where she lives. So, we've shared the answers to your burning background questions on the former resident of No 10 Downing Street.
Does Liz Truss have children?
Yes, Liz Truss is the mother of two daughters - Frances and Liberty, who reportedly attend selective state schools near their family home.
Truss is quite private when it comes to her family life and a look at her social media channels shows she's keen to protect her children from the public eye. She's only shared two photos of her girls - both taken from the back. One taken in February 2019 shows them on a leisurely Sunday stroll through the park.
Captioned "The 90s are back", Truss hints a resemblance to her girls with the hashtag #likemotherlikedaughters.
In an interview with YOU magazine in May 2019, Truss shared that her youngest Liberty particularly gives her mum fashion pointers:
"She’s very into the idea of a pop of colour. She shops at places such as New Look and River Island, so she introduces me to places I wouldn’t think of much," she said.
Truss adds that Liberty is also not afraid to tell her mum about any fashion faux pas, adding that she is "quite restrained actually, but she does indicate that perhaps I should not leave the house in that outfit".
How old are Liz Truss' children?
Whilst their ages have not been confirmed publicly, it's thought that Frances is the eldest, having turned 16 in March this year, whilst Liberty is 14.
In the same interview with YOU, Truss shares her love of baking, and it seems the hobby certainly comes in handy for her girls' birthdays. In March 2020, she shared a cake creation to mark France's 14th birthday on Instagram, alongside the caption: "You can't stop progress..."
Another colourful cake was presumably baked by Truss for daughter Liberty's birthday in November 2018. "So much sugar in here, there will be calls to have it banned! #sugarrush #bannycake #technicholordreamcake #10thbirthday #daughter #decadeofdelight," read the caption.
Asked if she would go on The Great Celebrity Bake Off, Liz told YOU: "I’ve been posting endless pictures on Instagram just so the producers notice. And it’s had zero effect!"
Is Liz Truss married?
Yes, Liz Truss has been married to husband Hugh O'Leary for over 20 years. The couple met at a Conservative Party conference in 1997 and went on to wed in 2000.
Of their first date, she told YOU that "I invited him ice skating and he sprained his ankle." Luckily though it seems that Hugh didn't blame Truss for the injury and the two have been together ever since.
The 46-year-old MP shared a photo of herself posing with her husband for Valentine's Day 2019. Dressed up in formal wear for an event at Blagdon Hall, Northumberland - she captioned the post "Love of my life".
Truss told YOU that she was "happily married" in May 2019.
Who is Liz Truss's husband Hugo O'Leary?
Hugh O'Leary - born July 1974 - is a 58-year-old accountant who is married to politician Liz Truss. He went to the London School of Economics between 1992 and 1995 and has worked in finance ever since.
Hugh's LinkedIn profile gives no reference to his current place of work. However, according to Companies House, he was the director of Wallstoke Limited from 2012-2014. The Norfolk based business is now listed publicly as 'dissolved'.
Liz Truss affair
An 18-month affair between Liz Truss and ex-Tory MP Mark Field occurred between 2003 and 2005, later becoming public knowledge when Truss was seeking selection for the South West Norfolk constituency seat.
Truss remained married, but Mark Field's marriage to wife Michèle Acton ended in divorce in 2006. According to YOU magazine, a source close to Field said that Truss "gave the impression they were going to run off into the sunset together".
In 2009, members of the constituency association opposed Truss's selection for the seat due to the extra-marital affair, with a motion raised to end her candidancy. However, the motion was defeated 132 votes to 37 at a general meeting three weeks later.
Opening up on the incident in her YOU interview, Truss called it "a baptism of fire".
"It was difficult but… I was so determined to stay selected and I wasn’t going to let… you know, I worked really, really hard and I won that selection fair and square.
"And, actually, even though it was a really unpleasant thing to go through, it made me stronger afterwards because I had to have that fight," she added.
Asked about her marriage to O'Leary, this is when Truss shared that she was "really happily married".
Where does Liz Truss live?
Liz Truss currently lives in Thetford near Downham Market, Norfolk, in her constituency of West Norfolk, though Truss also divides her time between additional properties in London and Kent.
Truss and O'Leary purchased the three-bedroom detached house in the picturesque market town for just £180,000 in 2010, according to the Mirror. The Express reported that the property is now thought worth more than £250,000 following a ground floor extension in 2017.
Additionally, Truss' previous role as Foreign Secretary meant she had access to the government's Chevening House. According to the Express, Truss shared Chevening House with former deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab. The Grade I listed mansion sits on a sprawling 3,000 acre estate and is based in between Sevenoaks and Biggin Hill.
Her decision to step down as Prime Minister, means that Truss and her family will now have to depart Downing Street and the famous flat that Boris and Carrie Johnson came under fire for their lavish renovation of.
She will also have to give up her access to Chequers, the 16th-century Buckinghamshire manor that serves as the Prime Minister's country residence. The residence in the Chiltern Hills has been the official second home of the PM since 1921, and boasts 1,500-acre lawns, an indoor heated swimming pool, an orangery and a huge collection of Oliver Cromwell memorabilia.
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