Who is Penny Mordaunt’s former husband Paul Murray?
PENNY Mordaunt has had major roles in various royal ceremonies, and has been the MP for Portsmouth North since 2010, a.
The Tory had a short-lived marriage to Paul Murray, but what do we know about him?
Who is Penny Mordaunt's ex husband Paul Murray?
Penny Mordaunt met Paul Murray while studying at Reading University.
She studied philosophy at the university and served as president of the Reading University Students’ Union.
Penny graduated in 1995 with a 2:1.
On their marriage certificate, pictured in the Daily Mail in 2014, he is listed as an assistant hall manager, while her occupation is press officer.
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When did Penny Mordaunt and Paul Murray get married?
Penny married Paul on July 31, 1999, when they were both aged 26.
One friend of the MP told the Mail that speaking of the marriage was "off-limits".
Paul is the son of retired Lieut Col Leonard Murray.
The couple were divorced a year after their marriage in 2000.
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Penny later dated Ian Lyon, a classical singer, after meeting in 2009.
Lyon, who was also involved in politics, was elected as a member of Portsmouth City Council in 2015.
However the pair split the next year.
Penny became a familiar face on British TV after appearing on ITV's Splash! in 2014, where she famously performed a spectacular belly flop.
How many children does Penny Mordaunt have?
Penny does not have children but is a fan of cats and breeds Burmese kitties at her home.
She took a gap year before attending university to help children in orphanages in Romania.
She said the experience was "life changing".
Penny served as Minister for Women and Equalities under Theresa May and had a short-lived stint as Secretary of State for Defence from May 1, 2019 until July 24, 2019.
On September 16, 2021, Boris Johnson appointed her Minister of State for Trade Policy.
She put herself forward in the Conservative leadership race in 2022, but lost out first to Liz Truss then Rishi Sunak.
Penny has been a Member of Parliament since 2010.
Her previous positions include:
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- Paymaster General (2020), leading resilience work overhauling how the UK prepares and responds to threats and has bolstered the UKs defensive cyber security
- Secretary of State for Defence (2019), the first woman to hold the post
- Secretary of State for International Development (2017)
- Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work (2016)
- Minister for the Armed Forces (2015), the first woman to hold this position
- Minister of Local Government (2014)
She is also a former Governor at the World Bank.