Inside the private audience room at Buckingham Palace where Keir Starmer ‘kissed the hands’ of King Charles before officially becoming prime minister

Although Sir Keir Starmer landed a landslide victory in the general election, which saw one of the largest majorities ever won by Labour, he still had to first lead his new government through King Charles.

As is the convention, the leader of the winning party must go to Buckingham Palace, where the monarch invites him to form a new government.

The new prime minister will then “kiss the hand” of the monarch, confirming his role as leader of the country according to official tradition.

A statement released by Buckingham Palace this afternoon said: “The King today received in audience the Right Honourable Sir Keir Starmer MP and asked him to form a new administration.

“Sir Keir accepted Her Majesty’s offer and kissed hands on his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.”

Today, King Charles welcomed new Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Audience Room at Buckingham Palace – a lavishly decorated mint green drawing room where the monarch usually holds private meetings.

Although he retained many of his late mother’s features and decorations in the room, Charles also put his own spin on some aspects of the grand space in the royal residence.

Here’s FEMAIL’s guide to the King Charles’ intimate meeting space, where only the most exclusive guests get the chance to set foot…

The Queen today held her weekly audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Buckingham Palace for the first time in 18 months.

1. English gilded mirror

Above the porcelain birds is a gilded English mirror, estimated to be worth more than £30,000. Another mirror is reflected in the mirror, on another wall in the room.

2. Clock

In front of the mirror is a white marble and gilt bronze clock, valued at least £4,000.

3. 17th century French carpet

The patterned carpet in the private audience room is brown with gold trim and covers a large portion of the floor space.

4. Photo of royal cousins ​​- possibly King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden

The king displays many photos of his royal cousins ​​on his side table, but this official portrait is difficult to identify. It appears to be King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.

Charles seems to prefer shots of more distant relatives in the room, which breaks with his late mother’s preference for portraits of closer relatives.

For example, she posted engagement photos of Harry and Meghan and Kate and William on the side during her reign, as well as photos of King Charles and Princess Anne.

5. Photo of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands

Among the many photos on King Charles’s drawing table, the snapshot of the King and Queen of the Netherlands occupies pride of place.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander is King Charles’ sixth cousin. He is a descendant of Princess Caroline, while King Charles’ lineage also goes back to Princess Caroline through his great-grandmother Queen Mary.

6. Photo of Queen Margrethe

Another photo of foreign royals on display in King Charles’s private audience room is that of Queen Margrethe of Denmark.

The former queen, now 84, abdicated in a shock announcement on New Year’s Eve 2023. She was succeeded by her son, King Frederik X.

7. 18th century art

On the wall behind the king and the prime minister is a painting by Canaletto dated around 1750-51.

The work, entitled The Thames from Somerset House Terrace towards the City, is part of a duo created by the Italian artist during his stay in London.

It recently replaced another painting by the same artist, which had hung in the room for years and is estimated to be worth more than £2 million.

8. Flowers

The king’s fondness for flowers is evident: he has chosen to fill his office with bouquets in official photographs since his accession to the throne.

In this particular bouquet, he opted for orange lilies, what appear to be blue stock, eucalyptus and hydrangeas.