The Prime Minister, Liz Truss, said she was “hugely honoured” that one of Queen Elizabeth II’s last acts as head of state was formally asking her to become Prime Minister. 

In an interview with journalists, Truss praised the “huge outpouring of love and affection” shown for the late monarch as well as the “huge amount of warmth towards” her son, King Charles III. 

The Prime Minister was traveling to a UN summit in New York less than a day after the Queen’s state funeral on Monday. 

Truss, who was appointed Prime Minister two days before the Queen’s passing, said: “It has been a momentous period and a period of great grief and sadness in the United Kingdom, and I think you have seen a huge outpouring of love and affection for her late majesty as well as a huge amount of warmth towards King Charles III. 

“Today at the funeral we saw such huge public support and I have also seen that from world leaders who have come to London in unprecedented numbers. 

“From my own point of view, I am hugely honoured to have been invited to form a government by Her Majesty the Queen in one of her last acts. 

Chester and District Standard: PA Liz Truss has audience with the QueenPA Liz Truss has audience with the Queen (Image: PA)

The late monarch laid in state for five days and was visited by over 250,000 mourners before joining the funeral procession to Windsor Castle. 

Lizz Truss has now had two audiences with the country’s new king and praised the UKs civil servants, saying: “First of all, I have had the most tremendous support from the civil servants who’ve worked on the Bridges Secretariat.” 

The Bridges secretariat is the Government’s response to the Queens death and was worked on by civil servants across the country. 

The Prime Minister is expected to meet US President, Joe Biden in New York this week and will be her first meeting with the American leader since taking office.