By . Richard Kay . PUBLISHED: . 17:51 EST, 18 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:12 EST, 18 September 2012 . She has embarked on a campaign to save the High Streets of Britain. But ‘Queen of Shops’  Mary Portas has taken a break from her crusade to tend to a matter that is even closer to her heart. The retail guru is celebrating after her partner, Melanie Rickey, gave birth to their first child. Journalist Melanie, 39, became pregnant after IVF treatment. The couple were said to be ‘delighted’ when the pregnancy was announced in February. Family: Mary Portas with her partner Melanie Rickey have started a new family . The happy news comes just weeks after Melanie fainted in the street and broke her ankle, needing an operation. But the baby’s arrival two Sundays ago did not stop Miss Portas from launching a blistering attack on ministers, questioning their level of commitment to her campaign. David Cameron appointed Mary ‘shopping tsar’ last year in an attempt to reverse High Street decline. However, at a conference in Liverpool last week, she said she feared the project was nothing more than a PR exercise. Onlookers said she looked ‘tired and frazzled’, having welcomed the new baby just two days previously. Mary Portas has questioned the level of commitment that MPs are showing towards her campaign . Melanie, an editor at fashion magazine Grazia, is said to have wanted children for a long time. The identity of the father is unknown. Fashion entrepreneur Ms Portas, 51, has two teenage children by her former husband Graham Portas. She met Melanie nine years ago at a Royal College of Art dinner and entered into a civil partnership in May 2010. They live in Maida Vale, London, with Portas’s children. Mary has previously said: ‘I fell in love with a woman and I had to think about what I was prioritising. I thought that for once I was going to make sure I was totally and utterly happy, and therefore I was going to make it work.’ Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and retail expert Mary Portas discussing the decline of town centres . In an interview last October to promote a new clothing line, she admitted that her children had initially found it difficult to adjust to her new relationship. Mary said: ‘All children want is for things to be normal. And you have to respect that. ‘But you can’t compromise your life, because when you are happy your children benefit from that.’
Partner Melanie Rickey, 39, became pregnant after IVF treatment .
David Cameron appointed Mary 'shopping tsar' last year in an attempt to reverse High Street decline .
She now claims the project was nothing more than a PR exercise .
By . Richard Kay . PUBLISHED: . 17:51 EST, 18 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:12 EST, 18 September 2012 . She has embarked on a campaign to save the High Streets of Britain. But ‘Queen of Shops’  Mary Portas has taken a break from her crusade to tend to a matter that is even closer to her heart. The retail guru is celebrating after her partner, Melanie Rickey, gave birth to their first child. Journalist Melanie, 39, became pregnant after IVF treatment. The couple were said to be ‘delighted’ when the pregnancy was announced in February. Family: Mary Portas with her partner Melanie Rickey have started a new family . The happy news comes just weeks after Melanie fainted in the street and broke her ankle, needing an operation. But the baby’s arrival two Sundays ago did not stop Miss Portas from launching a blistering attack on ministers, questioning their level of commitment to her campaign. David Cameron appointed Mary ‘shopping tsar’ last year in an attempt to reverse High Street decline. However, at a conference in Liverpool last week, she said she feared the project was nothing more than a PR exercise. Onlookers said she looked ‘tired and frazzled’, having welcomed the new baby just two days previously. Mary Portas has questioned the level of commitment that MPs are showing towards her campaign . Melanie, an editor at fashion magazine Grazia, is said to have wanted children for a long time. The identity of the father is unknown. Fashion entrepreneur Ms Portas, 51, has two teenage children by her former husband Graham Portas. She met Melanie nine years ago at a Royal College of Art dinner and entered into a civil partnership in May 2010. They live in Maida Vale, London, with Portas’s children. Mary has previously said: ‘I fell in love with a woman and I had to think about what I was prioritising. I thought that for once I was going to make sure I was totally and utterly happy, and therefore I was going to make it work.’ Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron and retail expert Mary Portas discussing the decline of town centres . In an interview last October to promote a new clothing line, she admitted that her children had initially found it difficult to adjust to her new relationship. Mary said: ‘All children want is for things to be normal. And you have to respect that. ‘But you can’t compromise your life, because when you are happy your children benefit from that.’
pregnant after IVF treatment. The couple were campaign. David Cameron appointed Mary ‘shopping tsar’ last year in an attempt to reverse High project was nothing more than a PR exercise.