The Haunting Moment Liz Truss Found Out About Queen Elizabeth's Health Was Caught On Camera
In only her second day as British Prime Minister, Liz Truss was in the chamber of the House of Commons on Thursday when she first received news of Queen Elizabeth II's deteriorating health. On Tuesday, Truss had her first formal meeting with the queen — the final photos of Her Majesty, taken from their meeting, now speak volumes. Truss was invited to "form a government" by Queen Elizabeth, signifying the transfer of power from former prime minister Boris Johnson to Truss, the newly-elected leader of the Conservative Party (via The New York Times). Normally this tradition is carried out at Buckingham Palace. Queen Elizabeth appointed her 14 previous prime ministers from the symbolic seat of power for the British monarchy. For her 15th, however, the queen stayed in Scotland at Balmoral Castle.
The last prime minister to be appointed from Balmoral Castle was Lord Salisbury in 1885, per The New York Times. Queen Victoria was the monarch at the time. The Guardian reports that Truss was in the midst of announcing her energy price freeze on Thursday when the public was notified there something was wrong with the queen. The new prime minister should have had her first Privy Council meeting with the queen on Wednesday, during which The Telegraph says Truss would have taken her "oath as First Lord of the Treasury."
If this cancellation was troubling the new prime minister, she didn't show it as she delivered her first policy speech to the House of Commons.
Liz Truss reacted quietly when she found out about Queen Elizabeth's failing health
The United Kingdom's new prime minister, Liz Truss, had just sat down on the front bench in the House of Commons when Nadhim Zahawi, the newest chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, came in, per The Guardian. Zahawi sat next to Truss to speak with her and give her a note before he quietly exited the room. Labour MP Chris Bryant tweeted at the time: "Something odd is going on in the Commons. Zahawi briefing pm urgently." This was only 20 minutes before Buckingham Palace made its public announcement about the queen's health.
In a video shared by The Telegraph, Zahawi can be seen pressingly updating the prime minister on Her Majesty's condition. Truss' body is turned toward him as she listens, and as the angle switches to show their faces, Truss is seen leaning forward as if looking for the exit. It was at this time that, according to The Guardian, journalists started to pick up the scent of something gone wrong. They watched as Angela Rayner — seated on the Labour's front bench — was handed a note, a video of which Bloomberg U.K. tweeted out. Rayner appears visibly shocked and saddened when she digests what she's read.
Hours later, following the announcement of Queen Elizabeth's death, the prime minister stood outside of 10 Downing Street and delivered a touching tribute to the queen, while pledging her loyalty to her new king.