Rishi Sunak has become the country’s new prime minister after meeting the King at Buckingham Palace.
As head of state, it is Charles’s duty to appoint the head of His Majesty’s Government.
Mr Sunak won the Tory leadership contest without a vote being cast after rivals Penny Mordaunt and Boris Johnson dropped out, and will replace Liz Truss, who also met with the monarch on Tuesday to tender her resignation.
He enters No 10 as the UK’s first Hindu prime minister, the first of Asian heritage, and the youngest for more than 200 years at the age of 42.
The King and Mr Sunak were pictured shaking hands as they met in Buckingham Palace.
He is thought to have travelled to London from the private royal estate of Sandringham on Monday for the audience at Buckingham Palace.
“Some mistakes were made”
Speaking outside Number 10, the former chancellor praised his predecessor’s “restlessness” and her “noble aim” to improve economic growth in the UK.
But, he added: “Some mistakes were made, not born of ill will or bad intensions – quite the opposite in fact – but mistakes none the less.”
Entering Downing Street alone, with no supporters and a stony face, Mr Sunak reiterated his comments from yesterday, saying: “Right now our country is facing a profound economic crisis.”
He warned that “difficult decisions” were to come, but he pledged to approach the problems with “compassion” and said he would “not leave the next generation… with a debt to settle that we were too weak to pay ourselves”.
He also sets out the big issues on his agenda:
- Stronger NHS
- Better schools
- Safer streets
- Control of borders
- Protecting environment
- Supporting armed forces
- Levelling up
- Building economy
