Liz Truss was greeted by the Queen during an audience today at Balmoral in Scotland, where she extended an invitation to the recently elected Conservative party leader to become prime minister.
One day after being named the winner of the Tory leadership election, Miss Truss and her husband Hugh O’Leary sped into the Queen’s exclusive Scottish estate in a chauffeur-driven vehicle.
She was greeted by the Queen’s private secretary Sir Edward Young and her equerry Lieutenant Colonel Tom White, much like her predecessor Mr. Johnson, who had previously offered his resignation to the monarch.
Ms. Truss greeted the Equerry with a “good afternoon” before the politician and her husband were led inside after the Equerry pointed to Sir Edward and was introduced.
Miss Truss greeted the Equerry with a “good afternoon” before the politician and her husband were led inside after the Equerry pointed to Sir Edward and the assistant introduced himself.
But Miss Truss, the newly elected head of the Conservative Party and the Queen’s fifteenth prime minister, has previously advocated for the abolition of the monarchy.
When she addressed the Liberal Democrat convention in 1994 as a 19-year-old student, she remarked, “We do not think individuals are born to govern,” and she claimed to have polled the populace, who told her, “Abolish them, we’ve had enough.”
Miss Truss said that the Queen was “much too courteous” to bring up her prior position when they previously met. She has later claimed that her political views evolved as she got older.
She added during a Sky News discussion in August, “I’ve previously seen the Queen, and she’s been much too kind to raise that matter with me.”
Whether the Queen brought it up, Miss Truss was asked if she would apologise. To which she replied, “Well, I was wrong to say what I did at the time.”
She acknowledged being a “professional controversialist” in her teens and said that she “loved exploring ideas and stirring things up” when the BBC’s Nick Robinson questioned her over her prior remarks.
She went on to say, however, that she had “begun to learn more about why Britain is successful, and part of our success is the constitutional monarchy that underpins a free democracy.”
The Queen and Miss Truss have met on many occasions, notably at Windsor Castle in October of last year.
When the Queen received a line-up of guests at a Global Investment Summit event for rich business executives, politicians, and digital entrepreneurs, Miss Truss was serving as the foreign secretary.
Miss Truss shook the Queen’s hand and, based on the images, may have given a brief curtsy.
In addition, the two have interacted during Privy Council gatherings, when Miss Truss has “kissed hands upon appointment and received the Seals of Office” for each of her Cabinet positions.
As the environment secretary in 2014, she first attained the rank of privy counsellor.
They both have the name Elizabeth, but whereas the Queen goes by Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Miss Truss goes by the more regal-sounding Mary, which she has never used.
In the early 1850s, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert built Balmoral their Scottish residence. It is the Queen’s personal and private property.
The Queen often spends eight to ten weeks at her beloved property throughout the months of August, September, and early October. The estate is connected for her with joyful family vacations, and the royal family customarily enjoys walks, barbecues, and outdoor activities there.
Miss Truss’ visit with the Queen today came after Boris Johnson’s own, during which he submitted his resignation as prime minister.
The Queen must choose the prime minister who will lead Her Majesty’s Government in her capacity as head of state.
One of the few still-remaining personal prerogatives of the king, according to the Royal Encyclopedia, is the choice of the prime minister.
Before appointing the leader with a majority of members in the House of Commons to form a government, the monarch is not required to seek advice from anybody or confer with anyone else.
For her “comfort,” the Queen skipped last weekend’s Braemar Gathering, a well-known Highland Games competition.
Since last fall, she has had intermittent mobility issues. Last week, it was decided to request that the leaving and incoming premiers travel the 1,000 miles roundtrip to visit the Queen rather than the other way around.