(UPDATE: 9/8/22 AT 2:09 P.M. ET): Liz Truss was the last prime minister Queen Elizabeth II would meet, as she died at the age of 96 two days after she was photographed shaking hands with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s successor. Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning British monarch in 2015 and saw 15 prime ministers serve under her, per LBC, the first being Sir Winston Churchill, who served as Prime Minister between 1951 and 1955. Elizabeth ascended the throne in February 1952 after her father’s death.
(ORIGINAL STORY): Liz Truss met with Queen Elizabeth II before officially becoming the UK’s new prime minister on Tuesday, September 6. Truss, as well as her predecessor former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, both traveled to Balmoral Castle in Scotland to meet with the queen to officially invite her to be the prime minister, following Johnson’s resignation. Truss is the UK’s third female prime minister.
Truss, 47, was seen going to shake hands with Elizabeth, 96, at the meeting. The incoming prime minister sported a dark blue outfit with long sleeves and a matching skirt, as the queen wore a checkered skirt and gray sweater for the meeting. Johnson, 58, met with Elizabeth earlier in the day. Truss faced travel complications on her way to Scotland and was delayed for about 10 minutes. During her travel, the UK had no prime minister, according to The New York Times.
Truss being appointed came nearly two months after Johnson announced that he would step down as Prime Minister, following a series of major resignations from various people in government positions, in July. Johnson remained the prime minister until the Conservative Party held an election to decide on its new leader. Truss was decided as the new prime minister, after she was elected on Monday, September 6.
Following her election victory, Truss thanked supporters for electing her in a tweet. “I am honoured to be elected Leader of the Conservative Party. Thank you for putting your trust in me to lead and deliver for our great country,” she wrote. “I will take bold action to get all of us through these tough times, grow our economy, and unleash the United Kingdom’s potential.”
Following the special election, Johnson also tweeted his congratulations to Truss, while reflecting on his time as prime minister, saying that he was “proud” of what he accomplished in office. “Congratulations to [Liz Truss] on her decisive win. I know she has the right plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, unite our party and continue the great work of uniting and levelling up our country. Now is the time for all Conservatives to get behind her 100 per cent,” he wrote.