Liz Truss is Britain’s new prime minister

LONDON — Liz Truss has been appointed as the new prime minister of the United Kingdom by Queen Elizabeth.

Predecessor Boris Johnson tendered his resignation at Balmoral Castle earlier on Tuesday morning before Truss, the former foreign secretary, was invited to form a government by the 96-year-old monarch.

The audience, known as “kissing hands” — although hands are no longer kissed — was held at Queen Elizabeth’s Aberdeenshire estate rather than at her London residence, Buckingham Palace, because of concerns about her mobility.

Truss will fly back to London to deliver an address on the steps of No. 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s official residence, later Tuesday afternoon.

She will then start appointing her top team, with her close political ally Kwasi Kwarteng, Johnson’s business secretary, expected to be announced as Truss’ chancellor.

It comes after Truss emerged victorious in the long summer Conservative Party leadership contest, which was triggered by Johnson’s resignation following a Cabinet revolt over his handling of a series of scandals.

Truss became Conservative leader after beating former Chancellor Rishi Sunak by a margin of 57 to 43 percent in a ballot of party members.

In her acceptance speech, she pledged to deliver on a raft of promises made during the campaign, including a suite of tax cuts and help with the soaring cost of energy.

“I campaigned as a Conservative and will govern as a Conservative,” she said on Monday.

The new prime minister will appear before MPs at the traditional weekly prime minister’s question time at lunchtime Wednesday.

Further reading: POLITICO’s behind-the-scenes look at how Truss beat Sunak; our essential primer on the new British PM; and an in-depth look at Truss’ program for government.