BBC and ITV presenters were left red-faced today after announcing that incoming Prime Minister Keir Starmer was off ‘to meet the Queen’.
As the Labour leader pulled up at Buckingham Palace to be formally installed as Britain’s 58th PM by King Charles, both broadcasters slipped up.
Those watching the historic day unfold were to quick to notice the mistake – joking that it must have been a ‘long night’ for the sleep-deprived reporters.
One wrote: ‘Big mistake on ITV there saying Starmer is about to meet the Queen.’
Another added: ‘Laura Kuenssberg on BBC saying the PM is on his way to Buckingham Palace to speak to the Queen. Been a long night Laura?’
‘BBC saying Starmer will visit the Queen – wow that’s morbid,’ a third joked.
BBC and ITV presenters were left red-faced today after announcing that incoming Prime Minister Keir Starmer was off ‘to meet the Queen’ instead of the King
Those watching election day unfold were to quick to notice the slip-up – joking that it must have been a ‘long night’ for the sleep-deprived reporters
The mistake came after what has been a long night for many presenters, many of whom have covered countless while Queen Elizabeth was still alive.
Sir Keir has now been asked by King Charles to form a Government following his first audience with the monarch at Buckingham Palace.
The Labour leader is the second Prime Minister to be formally installed by the 75-year-old King since his mother’s death in September 2022.
Throughout her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth worked 15 different Prime Ministers.
The last PM she appointed was Liz Truss just two days before her death, after the country’s shortest-serving PM travelled to Balmoral to be formally appointed.
The last PM the late Queen appointed was Liz Truss just two days before her death on September 6 2022
King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, London, on October 25 2022
Queen Elizabeth welcomes Boris Johnson to become PM on July 24 2019
During the audience, the final public photograph of the Queen was taken, leaning on a walking stick as she shook Ms Truss’ hand.
The poignant image will go down in history, with Press Association photographer Jane Burrow saying Her Majesty had ‘seemed very happy’ when the final shot was taken.
Just 49 days after the Queen appointed PM Truss, her eldest son, King Charles, made Rishi Prime Minister.
On October 25 2022, the new monarch welcomed Mr Sunak, Britain’s youngest leader at 42, to form a Government after Ms Truss had handed in her notice with immediate effect.