SIR Keir Starmer was elected Prime Minister in the General Election on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

Before he held his speech at Downing Street he needed to speak to the King but why does this long-standing tradition exist?

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King Charles III met new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday July 4, 2024Credit: Alamy

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Sir Keir Starmer made his first speech as Prime Minister after he met King CharlesCredit: Alamy

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Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria greeted supports at their arrival at Downing Street^^Credit: Alamy

Why does a Prime Minister have to meet King Charles?

In the UK, we have a constitutional monarchy.

This means that although the King is Head of State, the Prime Minister is the head of Government.

The King himself has no power in government, the Prime Minister makes decisions in the King’s name.

In order for this to take place, one of King Charles’ responsibilities as Head of State is to appoint the leader of the winning party as Prime Minister.

The day after a General Election the winning candidate will meet King Charles in private.

The King will ask the new Prime Minister to form an administration, to which they usually respond “yes”.

How often will the elected Prime Minister and King Charles meet?

The late Queen Elizabeth II set the precedent of meeting every Wednesday, while parliament is in session.

The first of these meetings will take place on the Prime Minister’s very first day in the role.

What happens during the Prime Minister and the King’s weekly meeting?

The weekly meetings between the Monarch and the Prime Minister are not recorded, leaving them to talk in private.

The Prime Minister keeps the Monarch informed of the government’s decisions on policy.
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The Monarch never publicly gives a political opinion, but may offer the PM impartial advice.

Some Prime Ministers, such as Harold Wilson and John Major , enjoyed a close relationship with the Monarch.

Labour’s Wilson was often invited to informal picnics with the Royal Family, and even stayed to clear up after the late Prince Philip’s famous barbeques.

It has been reported that meetings with the Queen would exceed the usual two-hour appointment.

Conservative PM Major supported her through her annus horribilis in 1992.

This was the year the King divorced Princess Diana, the year of the Windsor Castle fire and Prince Andrew’s marital separation from Sarah Ferguson.

However, not all Prime Ministers enjoy this close relationship.

Margaret Thatcher had a frostier relationship with the late Queen.

Although it was reported they had “rocky patches”, the Queen attended Thatcher’s 70th birthday party in 1995.

What do the first 72 hours as Prime Minister look like? 

After making their victory speech on the steps of 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister will be ushered inside to an applause from the staff.

Work will begin almost immediately, as they will write to the commanders of the UK’s four nuclear submarines that maintain the nuclear deterrent.

For the next two days, the Prime Minister will appoint cabinet ministers, usually in person, and speak to world leaders on the phone.

Among all of this work, the PM must settle into their new life as a resident of No10.

From their first day in office, talks will take place on how their family life will fit into their new job as the leader of the UK Government.