Liz Truss took over as British prime minister at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, when Queen Elizabeth II formally asked her to form a new government in a traditional ceremony.
The symbolic ceremony took place at the sovereign’s remote Balmoral retreat in the Scottish Highlands, as the aged queen so is 96, was deemed unfit to return to London due to ill health.
Liz Truss has officially become Britain’s new prime minister, at an audience with head of state Queen Elizabeth II after the resignation of Boris Johnson.
The former foreign secretary was seen in an official photograph shaking hands with the monarch to accept her offer to form a new government and become the 15th prime minister of her 70-year reign on Tuesday.
A statement by Buckingham palace said, “The queen received in audience the right honourable Elizabeth Truss PM today and requested her to form a new administration.”
“Ms Truss accepted Her Majesty’s offer and kissed hands upon her appointment as prime minister.”
“The symbolic ceremony took place at the sovereign’s remote Balmoral retreat in the Scottish Highlands, as the queen, 96, was deemed unfit to return to London due to ill health.”
The last time the handover of power took place at Balmoral was in 1885, when queen Victoria was on the throne.
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.
