The absurd life of Boris Johnson, the man who backed Brexit and was just named Foreign Secretary

Former London Mayor Boris Johnson led the campaign for Britain to leave the EU, and after a dramatic prime minister race, he'll be serving in one of the country's top positions.

Originally hailed as David Cameron's likely replacement, Johnson said he would not seek the position after his ally, Michael Gove, announced his own candidacy.

But Theresa May ultimately won the position, and she picked Johnson to be the UK's foreign secretary.

Johnson is a clownish character, but he's got enviable popularity levels and is known by his first name across the UK. He's even affectionately referred to as "BoJo" over social media.

Here are some pictures of his life and rise to power.

This article was originally written by Mike Bird and updated by Caroline Simon.