Boris Johnson and wife Marina Wheeler to divorce after 25 years

The news was first reported on the front page of the Sun newspaper on Friday.

In a joint statement released to the UK Press Association, Johnson and Wheeler confirmed the split.

"Several months ago, after 25 years of marriage, we decided it was in our best interests to separate," the statement read.

"We have subsequently agreed to divorce and that process is under way."

Boris Johnson facing party probe over burqa comments

"As friends we will continue to support our four children in the years ahead. We will not be commenting further."

Johnson, who has four children with Wheeler, resigned from the government in July with an attack on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit strategy.

The former Foreign Secretary campaigned for Britain to leave the EU and has been vocal in calling for a so-called "hard Brexit" -- in defiance of May's approach -- since the 2016 referendum.

Friday's news comes amid predictions that Johnson will soon launch a bid to unseat May as Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party.

He remains the subject of an independent investigation however, after likening Muslim women who choose to wear veils to "bank robbers" and "letter boxes" in a newspaper column last month.

The probe will examine whether his comments, which sparked accusations of Islamophobia, breached the Conservative Party's code of conduct.

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