Traditionally, the Queen of United Kingdom conducts a private meeting with the incoming Prime Minister. However, this historic ritual is about to break on 6 September.
The Queen will instead remain in Balmoral, Scotland, to meet with the new Prime Minister and Boris Johnson. The 96-year-old Queen has met with the new prime minister at Buckingham Palace during her 70-year-reign.
Either Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss will be declared as leader of the Conservative Party on Monday, 5 September. Boris Johnson will then official announce his resignation to the Queen the following day and the monarch will appoint the successor thereafter.
This change in tradition will take place because of the Queen's mobility issues. According to a previous statement from the Buckingham Palace, the Queen was going to interrupt her stay at Balmoral to meet the new prime minister which will be the 15th of her reign.
However, the Scotland location has been finalised for the meeting in order to prevent the need for any last-minute travel arrangements.
As head of state, the Queen's meeting with a new prime minister is a crucial responsibility. Even though the location of the meeting does not make a constitutional difference, it does shine light on the Queen's health.
This deviation from the routine signifies that the Queen would rather remain in Scotland for a crucial moment in UK's politics rather than risk the 1,000-mile round trip. Thus, it shows that the mobility challenges could be severe.
Another change to the royal customs also includes the Privy Council meeting which will most likely be held online on Wednesday.
Queen's Health Concerns
Apart from the mobility issues, the Queen had COVID-19 in February 2022.
In the last seven months, the Queen has passed on some high-profile engagements such as the Platinum Jubilee Concert, the commemorative Derby and the State Opening of Parliament, according to a report by BBC.
Inspite of her mobility difficulties and advancing years, the Queen's tenacity extends to her commitment to fulfill her royal role, especially during a political handover.
Previous Prime Ministers
The Queen will add either Foreign Secretary Liz Truss or Indian-origin former Chancellor Rishi Sunak to the list of prime ministers she has appointed, a reign that started with the appointment of Sir Winston Churchill.
Prime Ministers who have served during the Queen's reign: Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath, Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson.
(With inputs from BBC World)
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