In pictures: The rise and fall of a prime minister

Boris Johnson has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party, less than three years after leading them to election victory. He will stay on as prime minister in a caretaker capacity until his replacement is elected. Here we chart his rise and fall in pictures.

Boris Johnson was born on 19 June 1964, in New York, and his family moved many times during his childhood. He went to Eton College.

He went on to University of Oxford, where was president of the Oxford Union. It's also where he met his first wife Allegra Mostyn-Owen. They divorced in 1993.

His first career was as a journalist. He worked for the Daily Telegraph, and eventually became editor of the Spectator magazine.

A flamboyant character, he appeared on the BBC's Have I Got News for You programme, and was pictured being taught to dance by television presenter Ulrika Jonsson.

He had always nursed political ambitions, and in 2001 he was elected as the Conservative MP for Henley.

His style was often unconventional. In 2003, he took to the River Thames in a coracle, in aid of Save The Children.

Known for throwing himself into whatever was before him, he was pictured rugby-tackling German midfielder Maurizio Gaudino during a charity football match at the Madejski Stadium in Reading.

By 2008, he was the Conservative candidate for mayor of London.

He won by a comfortable margin and is pictured here being congratulated by then Conservative Party leader David Cameron on the night of his election victory.

By then he was married to Marina Wheeler, a barrister. They had four children and divorced in 2020.

London's successful bid to host the Olympics in 2012 provided more photo opportunities.

As did a trade visit to Japan, where he knocked over a 10-year-old while playing touch rugby.

A keen cyclist, his time as mayor also saw the introduction of a public bicycle hire scheme and cycle superhighways in London.

Mr Johnson returned to national politics - winning a seat in Parliament in the 2015 general election under the leadership of Prime Minister David Cameron - but also continued as mayor of London until 2016.

He was thrust into the limelight in the 2016 EU referendum, when he and Michael Gove campaigned for the UK to leave the European Union.

The Vote Leave campaign won the referendum.

Mr Cameron stood down as prime minister the next day, but Mr Johnson confounded expectations when he announced he would not stand to succeed him.

Theresa May became prime minister and appointed Mr Johnson to the post of foreign secretary.

As foreign secretary, Mr Johnson travelled widely, and is seen here on a trip to Myanmar in 2017. The following year he resigned from the cabinet in protest at Mrs May's Brexit deal.

After months of political deadlock over how the UK would leave the EU, Mrs May was forced to stand down. Mr Johnson threw his hat in the ring to replace her as prime minister.

He beat Jeremy Hunt by 92,153 votes to 46,656 to be elected the new Conservative leader, and was asked to form a government by the Queen.

After Mr Johnson found himself unable to make progress on Brexit, he called another general election. During the campaign, he said the UK would fully exit the EU by December 2020.

His gamble paid off as he was returned to power with a much-increased majority.

Mr Johnson was back in 10 Downing Street with his partner, Carrie Symonds.

By January 2020, the UK had left the EU but it, like the rest of the world, faced a growing challenge as coronavirus started to spread following an initial outbreak in China.

The virus led to extreme measures, with people told to stay at home and practise social distancing. Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak joined in national applause to show appreciation for NHS workers.

Mr Johnson himself caught the virus and had to self-isolate, though still led the country from his home. But after 10 days, his symptoms had deteriorated and he was taken to hospital, spending some time in intensive care.

Three weeks later he was back at work, praising the "sheer grit and guts" of the British public.

Weeks later, Mr Johnson and his fiancée Ms Symonds announced the birth of a son, Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson. The name Nicholas was a tribute to the two doctors who treated Mr Johnson while he was in hospital with coronavirus.

At the end of October, Mr Johnson announced a second lockdown would begin in England to prevent a "medical and moral disaster" for the NHS. He said he hoped taking immediate action would mean families could get together for Christmas.

There was some good news in December, as the biggest vaccination programme in the country's history began. On a visit to a London hospital to see some of the first people getting the jab, Mr Johnson said getting vaccinated was "good for you and good for the whole country".

In a secretly planned wedding at Westminster Cathedral, Mr Johnson married Ms Symonds in May 2021.

The death of the MP Sir David Amess, 69, who was stabbed to death at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, shocked the country. Mr Johnson told how several members of his cabinet broke down in tears when they learned of the death.

In December 2021, Mrs Johnson gave birth to their second child, a girl called Romy. Here the couple and the baby are seen on a video call at Chequers.

In January 2022, Mr Johnson and his government faced mounting pressure over several events that are alleged to have been held during lockdowns. In June, he faced a confidence vote in his leadership - winning by 211 votes to 148, in a secret ballot of Conservative MPs.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Mr Johnson offered military equipment to help the country defend its territory. President Volodymyr Zelensky called the prime minister after he announced his resignation, during which Kyiv officials says the Ukrainian leader expressed his "sadness" upon hearing the news.

Having been dogged by controversy, including the fine for breaking his own lockdown laws and his handling of sexual misconduct allegations against former deputy chief whip, Chris Pincher, Mr Johnson announced his resignation on 7 July, following a flood of government resignations.

All photographs subject to copyright.