King Charles III appoints Starmer as UK prime minister

Britain's King Charles speaks with Sir Keir Starmer during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the leader of the Labour Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government following the landslide General Election victory for the Labour Party, London, Britain, July 5, 2024. Yui Mok/POOL via REUTERS

LONDON: Britain's head of state, King Charles III, officially appointed Labour leader Keir Starmer as prime minister on Friday (July 5) during an audience at Buckingham Palace.

A photograph released by the palace showed the monarch shaking hands with Starmer, whose party won a landslide election victory. The king earlier accepted the resignation of Conservative leader Rishi Sunak.

"The King received in Audience The Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer MP today and requested him to form a new Administration," a palace statement read.

"Sir Keir accepted His Majesty's offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury." - AFP