Kicking off her heels, Akshata Murty ran for the football and held it under her bare foot. Lingering there, as photographers snapped away, she seemed in her element. The scene was a British Council school in Delhi, visited by the Prime Minister and his wife during the G20 last month. As Rishi Sunak smiled and chatted, Murty took the lead in the kick-about, talking animatedly about her childhood in Bangalore and her favourite Shakespeare plays.
For a businesswoman who is discreet and wary of the limelight, her confidence and ease on the India trip in September showed that she’s preparing for a more public role as the election nears, more proof of which we saw today.
At the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, Murty made a surprise appearance when she took to the stage as the warm up act before her husband's keynote speech. Wearing a coral The Fold suit, she cracked jokes and sang Sunak's praises as she introduced her 'best friend.'
'Please know Rishi is working hard to do the right thing for the country. Not just for now, but for the long term, with honesty and with integrity,' she said. 'That is why he's told some hard truths already. And knowing him, he'll continue to do so.'
It felt odd and unusual in the UK political context to have a personal speech by a spouse, more reminiscent of US presidential convention where wives often introduce their husbands. But, it suggests this is a partnership that will take centre stage at the election. It doesn't always work, though: Gordon Brown got his wife Sarah to introduce him in 2009 to show a more personal side and he lost the next election.
As a political journalist who has travelled with four Prime Ministers, I get to see up close that the undefined role of ‘First Spouse’ – without the formal role they have in the US – is one they make their own. Or not.
Carrie Johnson was written up as the ‘queen of Carbis Bay’ when she splashed in the surf with First Lady Jill Biden and one-year-old Wilf at the G7 in Cornwall two years ago. Theresa May’s husband, the reticent Philip, tended to shun summits, avoiding the cameras during a rare outing with plus ones, including Melania Trump, on a tour of Hamburg at the G20.
Delhi was, of course, a trip with special significance for the Sunaks. Of Indian heritage, he was there for the first time in office, in what No.10 described as an ‘historic moment’. Murty had to be there, he told journalists as we crowded around him on the plane to India last month. ‘It’s where she is from, we have many special memories of being here together’. Hoping to jump-start trade talks, he added, ‘Building personal relationships with other leaders is key... and that includes how we interact with other people’s spouses.’
A Government insider went further. ‘You could call her his wing woman. She will do whatever she can to help Rishi. She could stay away from the limelight altogether, but she sees it as important. It’s not self-promotion. It’s a big year coming up.’
Her mother Sudha Murty, an influential philanthropist, said in revealing comments posted on social media this year that her daughter had ‘made her husband Prime Minister of the UK’.
Despite her support, No.10 is well aware that Murty’s vast wealth has caused headaches for Sunak – with rows over her non-dom status and shareholdings. Murty’s father, Narayana Murthy, is one of India’s wealthiest men, the software firm he set up from scratch is now worth some $75bn. His daughter’s 1% stake and other investments amount to a reported £700m.
Perhaps that’s why, until today, Murty, remained an enigmatic figure. She has given no interviews since her husband took office and, unlike some of her predecessors, has no press contact, although she authorised friends to speak to Tatler about her last year.
A former fashion entrepreneur, the focus has often been on her eye-catching outfits. She has seemingly toned down her luxury wardrobe (she stepped out in a £1,630 leather coat for dinner in 2020) in favour of more affordable style. As part of easing into public life, she hosted a Big Lunch event in Downing Street for the coronation, wearing an £85 Boden shirt covered in hearts, which saw a spike in sales. She also seems to be following in the footsteps of Samantha Cameron and Michelle Obama by representing homegrown brands.
With an MBA from Stanford University, where the pair met, and an ability to hold her own with world leaders, Murty has made clearer with her actions what she wants her role to focus on: education. She set up ‘Lessons at 10’, hosting schoolchildren at Downing Street to learn about its history.
But with a return visit to India this year in the offing, and after her speech honouring Sunak at this month's Conservative conference, Murty is set to be prominently at his side.