Truss Meets Queen And Takes Office As Prime Minister Of UK

Liz Truss was sworn in as Britain’s next prime minister on Tuesday during an audience with Queen Elizabeth II following Boris Johnson’s resignation.

In an official photograph, the former foreign secretary, 47, was shown shaking hands with the monarch to accept her offer to form a new government and become the monarch’s 15th prime minister in her 70-year reign.

The ceremonial event was held at the sovereign’s isolated Balmoral home in the Scottish Highlands, when the Queen, 96, was considered unable to come to London owing to illness.

“The queen received in audience the right honourable Elizabeth Truss MP today and requested her to form a new administration,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

“Ms Truss accepted Her Majesty’s offer and kissed hands upon her appointment as prime minister,” it added.

The last time the handover of power took place at Balmoral was in 1885, when queen Victoria was on the throne.

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Normally, the outgoing and incoming prime minister meet the queen in quick succession at Buckingham Palace in central London.
It has only been held once outside London since 1952, when Winston Churchill met the new queen at Heathrow Airport after the death of her father, king George VI.

Truss, who was announced winner of an internal vote of Conservative party members on Monday, after a gruelling contest that began in July.

She is expected to make her first speech as prime minister outside 10 Downing Street at about 4:00 pm (1500 GMT) on Tuesday – weather permitting.

Heavy rain and storms are forecast, mirroring the gloomy economic situation that she and her new senior ministers will now have to tackle.

The appointments are due to be finalised before she hosts her first cabinet meeting and faces questions in parliament on Wednesday.

AFP

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