'You must be ...': What King Charles told UK PM Keir Starmer during their first meeting

NEW DELHI: Keir Starmer officially became the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following a decisive victory for the Labour Party in the general elections. The 61-year-old leader, accompanied by his wife Victoria Starmer, arrived at Buckingham Palace on Friday, July 5, for an audience with King Charles III, marking the formal beginning of his tenure.
Earlier in the day, Rishi Sunak, 44, resigned from his position as Prime Minister after conceding defeat with the Conservative Party suffering its worst electoral setback in history.
In the video shared by Buckingham Palace, King Charles greeted Starmer, acknowledging the exhaustion from the quick transition, saying “You must be exhausted and nearly on your knees.” Starmer responded, “Not much sleep”
The King then invited Starmer to form a new government, a longstanding tradition formalized during this meeting.
Later in the meeting, the prime minister highlighted the “quick change around” since the elections results were announced, to which the King replied: “To say the least. And having to get to grips with everything straight away must be quite exhausting.”
Addressing the nation from London shortly after the election results solidified Labour’s majority, Starmer outlined his vision for a period of “national renewal” under his leadership. He emphasized the need to restore trust and unity across the country, stating “Whoever you are, wherever you start in life, if you work hard, if you play by the rules, this country should give you a fair chance to get on.”

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