The King has reinstated a long-lost royal tradition by meeting with the new Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch, reaffirming the constitutional importance of scrutinising the Government.
At today’s meeting in Buckingham Palace, Kemi became the first Conservative opposition leader in 19 years to have a one-on-one audience with the Monarch. The meeting took place in the historic 1844 Room, a space traditionally used for significant diplomatic and political engagements.
The last known instance of a British Monarch holding regular meetings with the Leader of the Opposition dates back to the reign of Elizabeth II, when she met with David Cameron before he became Prime Minister in 2010. However, this practice was quietly discontinued during her later years, with no official explanation from palace sources.
A Buckingham Palace official stated ‘it was a convention that fell by the wayside in the latter years of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s reign and seemed a courtesy to revive in the new reign’.
Charles III’s decision to reinstate these audiences highlights his commitment to fostering dialogue with key political figures from across the spectrum, in keeping with his constitutional role as a politically neutral head of state.
The King and Kemi Badenoch are no strangers to each other, having met on several occasions prior to today’s meeting. Most recently, they were both present at a reception last week for newly appointed politicians at Buckingham Palace. In June 2023, they also crossed paths at a King’s Award for Enterprise reception, when Badenoch served as Trade Secretary.
The King and Queen with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. (Royal Family)
By restoring this tradition, Charles III reinforces the importance of constitutional conventions and the balance of power in British democracy, ensuring that the Leader of the Opposition, as a key political figure, has the opportunity to engage directly with the Monarch.
