Rishi Sunak officially appointed UK PM after meeting King

As head of state, it is Charles’s duty to appoint the head of His Majesty’s Government, British local media including Metro said.

Mr Sunak won the Tory leadership contest without a vote being cast after rivals Penny Mordaunt and Boris Johnson dropped out, and will replace Liz Truss, who also met with the monarch on Tuesday to tender her resignation.

He is expected to address the nation just before noon, before entering No 10 as the UK’s first Hindu prime minister, the first of Asian heritage, and the youngest for more than 200 years at the age of 42.

Charles is thought to have travelled to London from the private royal estate of Sandringham on Monday for the audience at Buckingham Palace.

As is his constitutional duty, the monarch will offer Mr Sunak the opportunity to form a new government and become premier of the UK.

After the new leader of the country has been appointed, the Court Circular will record that ‘the Prime Minister kissed hands on appointment’.