Conservative Party leader Liz Truss was on Tuesday appointed as Britain's new Prime Minister - the third female premier of the country - amid pressure to tackle the looming energy crisis and soaring prices.
Truss travelled to Queen Elizabeth II's Balmoral Castle residence in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, to meet the 96-year-old monarch. Earlier, Boris Johnson formally resigned as the head of the UK government in an audience with the Queen.
The 47-year-old leader is the 15th Prime Minister to serve during Queen Elizabeth II's reign, the first being Winston Churchill in 1952.
Until now, the constitutional process of the monarch inviting the leader of the majority party to form a government in her name has taken place at Buckingham Palace in London. But with the Queen cutting back on her travels, it had been decided that she would receive Johnson and Truss at her summer residence of Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, marking a historic first.
"The Queen received in Audience The Right Honourable Elizabeth Truss MP 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 and First Lord of the Treasury,” a royal announcement confirmed.
A picture of the Queen and Truss showed them meeting in the drawing room of Balmoral in front of an ornate fireplace. The smiling monarch, who was wearing a tartan skirt and holding her walking stick, was pictured shaking hands with Truss – symbolically referred to as kissing hands.
Truss assumed the office at a time when the country is facing a looming energy crisis and the focus is on her plan to address the challenge.