After weeks of Conservative leadership elections, Liz Truss was selected to become the new leader of the Conservative Party and the next British Prime Minister.
The new Prime Minister travelled to Balmoral Castle, where she was officially asked by The Queen to form a new government.
An official photograph was released showing Ms Truss and The Queen in their first Audience. The 96-year-old Monarch can be seen using a walking stick, as she has done at a number of engagements in recent months, such as the opening of the Elizabeth Line.
Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss, the new British Prime Minister, during an audience at Balmoral, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to form a government.
During the audience, the Court Circular reports the ‘kissing of hands’ taking place, which is a formality – and more of an air kiss – to seal the politician’s loyalty to serve Her Majesty.
Buckingham Palace’s statement read: “Ms Truss accepted Her Majesty’s offer and kissed hands upon her appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.”
In her constitutional role to advise and warn, The Queen will meet the new PM each week – be that in person or virtually – to discuss affairs of state; previous office holders have spoken of how much they valued the tradition.
Truss has become the 15th Prime Minister of The Queen’s reign, the third female to hold the office, and the fourth PM in six years.
Outgoing Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and his wife, Carrie, travelled to Balmoral ahead of Truss, where Mr Johnson formally resigned as the UK Prime Minister. Buckingham Palace said The Queen was ‘graciously pleased to accept’ his resignation during the 40-minute meeting.
Boris Johnson was The Queen’s 14th Prime Minister and held the role since 2019.
The Queen greets Prime Minister Boris Johnson during an audience at Buckingham Palace. It was The Queens first in-person weekly audience with the Prime Minister since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Today’s duties for The Queen was a break from royal tradition, as she would normally appoint a Prime Minister in London, and not her Scottish residence.
It was reported the outgoing and new Prime Minister would travel to Scotland, due to The Queen’s recent mobility issues and discomfort from travelling.
