The Queen’s Balmoral audience with Liz Truss was a sign of changing times

In some ways it was business as usual for the Queen, who has now welcomed the 15th prime minister of her 70-year reign.

But in others, Her Majesty’s audience with Liz Truss, as she invited the incoming Prime Minister to form a new government, was a sign of changing times.

For the first time, the Queen, 96, formally ushered in a new political era within the cosy confines of the green-carpeted drawing room at Balmoral, her Aberdeenshire estate, rather than at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.

Around two weeks ago, the decision was taken that both Boris Johnson and his successor would make the 1,000-mile round trip from London to Scotland because of the Queen’s ongoing mobility problems.

She is understood to have been advised not to travel, having reportedly endured “a change in the past few weeks” in her mobility, meaning she has been resting more. Buckingham Palace sources said the decision was made to provide certainty over travel plans.

At a time of political and financial instability, the Queen’s simple constitutional duty, known as the “kissing of hands”, represents cohesion and continuity.

But the change in location also served as a reminder of her advancing years and increasing frailty. She did not attend the Braemar Gathering at the weekend and had not been photographed in public since July 15, before she embarked on her summer break.

But the monarch appeared in good spirits as she was pictured shaking hands with Ms Truss before a roaring log fire. She was dressed less formally than usual, in what has been described as her “traditional Balmoral attire”, including a skirt in Balmoral tartan and an autumnal cardigan.

Clutching her now familiar walking stick, the Queen smiled warmly as she lent forward to shake Ms Truss’s hand after the new prime minister had performed the traditional curtsy.

Mr Johnson had earlier arrived at the main gate to Balmoral at 11.15am after delivering his resignation speech outside Downing Street before his staff, some of whom wiped tears from their eyes.

After a flurry of handshakes, he jumped in a Range Rover to head for RAF Northolt to make the 1,000-mile round trip to see the Queen.

Accompanied by Carrie, his wife, he was greeted by Sir Edward Young, the Queen’s private secretary, and Colonel Tom White, her Equerry Lieutenant.

Inside, Mr Johnson formally told the Queen of his intention to resign before she accepted. Mrs Johnson is then likely to have been invited for a brief chat, likely to have focused on their future plans. The couple left after around 40 minutes, shortly before midday, to be driven back to Aberdeen airport for the flight back to RAF Northolt.

Meanwhile, Ms Truss landed in Aberdeen shortly after 11am, after circling above the airport for around 20 minutes because of thick fog.

As her motorcade made its way to Balmoral, Buckingham Palace released a formal statement confirming that Mr Johnson had tendered his resignation, which the Queen was “graciously pleased to accept”.

Ms Truss arrived at Balmoral at around 12.15pm, accompanied by her husband, Hugh O’Leary, and was greeted by the same dignitaries as her predecessor. She was briefed by the Lord Chamberlain before being invited into the Queen’s Drawing Room.

After she was formally invited to form a government, the two women had a private chat before Mr O’Leary was invited in to join them.

For Ms Truss, the audience marked the start of a critical relationship. The pair will meet each week to discuss affairs of state, and successive prime ministers have spoken of how much they valued the tradition.

Buckingham Palace confirmed at 1pm that the Queen had received Ms Truss and asked her to form a new administration, saying in a statement: “Ms Truss accepted Her Majesty’s offer and kissed hands upon her appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.”

Minutes later, Britain's 56th Prime Minister was waved off by aides as she headed back to London to get on with the job.

The Balmoral Drawing Room has been photographed only on rare occasions, including the Queen’s audience with Sir Peter Cosgrove, the Governor General of Australia, in 2017.

Then, an iPod docking station could be seen on a table, as well as a stash of well-thumbed magazines including Country Life and some framed family photographs. 

This time, any personal artefacts had been removed – likely to ensure that the focus remained on the business of the day.