Who is Kemi Badenoch?
Kemi Badenoch is a British politician of Nigerian origin. Since November 2024, she has served as the UK’s Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party (Tory leader). Badenoch previously worked as Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
Kemi Badenoch’s full name is Olukemi Olufunto Adegoke Badenoch. She was born on January 2, 1980, in Wimbledon, London, England, although she is originally from Ondo State, Nigeria. As of August 2025, Kemi Badenoch is 45 years old.
About Kemi Badenoch’s parents
Kemi Badenoch’s parents are Dr. Femi Adegoke (father) and Feyi Adegoke (mother). Kemi’s father, Femi, was a medical doctor. He founded a publishing firm and later became an activist for the rights of the Yoruba people. Dr. Femi passed away in 2021. Kemi’s mother, Feyi Adegoke, was a professor of physiology at the University of Lagos. She had travelled to London in the late 1970s to give birth to Kemi before returning to Nigeria, where the Tory leader was partly raised.
About Kemi Badenoch’s siblings
Kemi Badenoch has two siblings: a brother, Folahan Adegoke, and a sister, Lola Adegoke. The UK politician is the eldest of three children, although little is known about her younger siblings.
In December 2024, Badenoch alleged that Nigerian police officers once robbed her brother, Fola, taking his shoes and wristwatch. She condemned the Nigerian police while praising their British counterparts. Her comments sparked backlash from many Nigerians, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who criticized her for making negative remarks about Nigeria.
About Kemi Badenoch’s marriage and husband
As of the time of publishing this article (August 2025), Kemi Badenoch is married to her husband, British banker and former politician Hamish Badenoch.
The couple tied the knot in September 2012, first with a church wedding in London, followed by a traditional Nigerian wedding in Lagos. As of 2025, Kemi Badenoch and Hamish Badenoch have been married for 13 years, and they have three children: two daughters and a son.
Who is Kemi Badenoch’s husband – Hamish Badenoch?
Kemi Badenoch’s husband, Hamish Badenoch, is a banker and former politician. According to Hamish’s LinkedIn profile, he has worked at Deutsche Bank for over 15 years. From 2014 to 2018, Hamish also served as a Conservative councillor on Merton Borough Council.
Before his career in banking, Kemi Badenoch’s husband worked as a consultant in Nigeria, a journalist in Malawi, and the CEO of Avis car hire in Kenya. Hamish Badenoch was born in 1979 in Wimbledon, London, and is currently 46 years old – a year older than his wife Kemi.
About Kemi Badenoch and Hamish Badenoch’s marriage and wedding
Kemi Badenoch and Hamish Badenoch first met in 2009 at the Dulwich and West Norwood Conservative Club. At the time, Hamish would often give Kemi lifts as they lived on the same street and worked together on various political projects. In an interview with The Times, the Tory leader revealed that their relationship wasn’t love at first sight. According to her, they started simply as friends and colleagues before gradually developing a deeper connection.
Kemi Badenoch and Hamish Badenoch got married in September 2012 at Farm Street, a Catholic church in Mayfair, London, three years after they met. As of August 2025, they have been married for 13 years, and their relationship continues to thrive.
About Kemi Badenoch’s kids
Kemi Badenoch and her husband, Hamish Badenoch, are proud parents of three children – two daughters and a son. Their first daughter was born in 2012 and is currently 13 years old. A few years later, the couple welcomed their second child, a son. In September 2019, they welcomed their youngest child, a daughter, who is now 6 years old.
While Kemi Badenoch occasionally speaks about balancing motherhood with her political career, she keeps her kids’ details, including their names, private. In July 2025, during an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Badenoch claimed she couldn’t pass Nigerian citizenship to her children because she is a woman. However, Nigerian lawyer Femi Falana publicly refuted Badenoch’s claims, noting that her children are Nigerians by virtue of her citizenship.
