Queen to stay in Balmoral to appoint the new Prime Minister due to health woes
In a historic first, the Queen will appoint the new British prime minister at a different location due to the 96-year-old’s mobility issues.
Secret plans have been drawn up for the Queen to appoint the new prime minister at Balmoral instead of Buckingham Palace in a historic first.
The 96-year-old monarch is suffering with her mobility and has been advised to stay put for the September 6 ceremony which will see either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak become the next UK leader, The Sun reports.
The new prime minister will make a 1600km round trip to see the Queen at Balmoral for a historic ceremony to seal the transition of power.
The monarch is no longer expected to interrupt her holiday at her Scottish residence when Tory voters elect Boris Johnson’s replacement as leader.
Stay up to date with the latest news on the British Royals with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 >
Plans are now under way for the location change after a winner for the leadership is decided between the two contenders Mr Sunak and Ms Truss on September 5.
It will be the first time in living memory the so-called kissing of the hands happens outside London or Windsor.
The current advice issued to the Queen is understood to be based on concerns about her comfort.
A final decision on whether she stays in Scotland will be announced publicly next week.
The news has sparked fresh health concerns about the monarch, coming just weeks after she failed to show for a large number of events as part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
A source said: “The Queen has now been advised not to travel.
“But obviously no one tells the Queen what to do and ultimately it is her decision, and as we saw when she made a third appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony at the Jubilee, she likes surprises.
“There are some parts of her role that Prince Charles can do on her behalf but the Queen is adamant that she appoints the prime minister.
“It may not be the best choice to make the Queen travel 1000 miles [1600km] there and back for a 48-hour visit when the prime ministers can easily get to Balmoral instead.”
A Buckingham Palace tradition
It is understood that when the Queen arrived in Scotland last month for her annual 10-week holiday, she had hoped to make the journey south when the PM was appointed.
Sources say it is incredibly rare for any monarch not to appoint a new prime minister at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle.
The Queen kissed hands with her first PM, Winston Churchill, in 1952 at Heathrow when she returned from Africa after her father King George VI died.
Every other PM since has travelled to Buckingham Palace.
But back in 1908 after the sudden resignation of a sickly Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman the ceremony was carried out in France.
His replacement Herbert Asquith was forced to travel to Biarritz where King Edward VII – the Queen’s great-grandfather – was on holiday at the time.
Asquith was appointed after an audience in a private room in a hotel and remains the only PM to have taken office on foreign soil.
Summer in Scotland
The Queen has suffered “episodic mobility problems” for almost a year and spent a night in hospital last October.
She arrived in Scotland on July 22 and was pictured walking down the steps of her plane after landing at Aberdeen Airport.
A public ceremony welcoming the Queen to Balmoral was instead held behind closed doors amid concerns for her comfort.
Members of her family have been by her side at the 20,000-hectare estate this summer.
It is believed Prince Andrew was the first family member to arrive north of the border and was locked in “intense talks” with his mother after he was banished from his royal roles in January when the Virginia Giuffre sex abuse case made global headlines.
Prince Charles and Camilla have been in their home at Birkhall, just a short drive from the Queen’s apartments at Balmoral.
William and Kate, who are in the throes of moving to become her neighbours at Windsor Castle, are also believed to have been with her on the estate with George, 9, Charlotte, 7, and Louis, 4.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their families have holidayed at Balmoral this month.
And Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex’s daughter Lady Louise was on the Queen’s estate when she received her A-level results last week.
Prince Harry and Meghan are flying back from California next month to be in Windsor, Manchester, London and Dusseldorf, but have not confirmed if they will visit the Queen.
UK to get a new PM
Tory voters will elect Boris Johnson’s replacement when they choose between Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss on Monday, September 5.
Mr Johnson is expected to be at Balmoral the following day to tender his resignation in an audience with the Queen.
His replacement will then be appointed by the Queen who is also set to meet the new Privy Council. Ms Truss or Mr Sunak will be the 15th prime minister to have served during her 70-year reign.
This article originally appeared in The Sun and has been reproduced here with permission
Two words raise Sussex marriage concerns
As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue to appear individually, a friend’s claim has only made things more confusing.
Royal family posts job ad with low salary
Buckingham Palace has rushed to correct an “error” for inadvertently posting a housekeeper job ad with a salary that is less than minimum wage.
King caught up in Aussie ‘insult’ row
Australia’s state leaders are being accused of “insulting” the King, just days out from his high-profile visit Down Under.