The shortest prime ministership in British history ended on Thursday when Liz Truss resigned as leader of the Conservative party, and consequentially gave up her 45 day lease at 10, Downing Street.
Truss will stay in office until her successor is elected by the Tories next week.
Rishi Sunak, whom Truss defeated in early September, is seen as a possible frontrunner, with Boris Johnson likely to run again for the office from which he was evicted six weeks ago.
The winning candidate needs the support of 100 Conservative MPs before he can drive to Buckingham Palace and be invited by King Charles III to be prime minister -- the monarch's first such appointment.
Two days before she passed away, Queen Elizabeth had invited Truss to form a government.
Glimpses from Liz's truncated reign as prime minister:
IMAGE: Liz Truss speaks to the media at the Empire State building in New York, September 20, 2022. Photograph: Toby Melville/Pool/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss with French First Lady Brigitte Macron, left, and Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, right, at The Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City where they viewed an exhibition illustrating the atrocities taking place in Ukraine. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/Pool/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss walks away from the podium after delivering her address to the United Nations General Assembly, September 21, 2022. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng, then chancellor of the exchequer, appear to be pleased with themselves at the annual Conservative party conference in Birmingham, October 2, 2022.
Truss and Kwarteng's fiscal plan sent the British economy into a tailspin, leading first to the chancellor's exit last week, followed just days later by Truss's resignation on Thursday. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss, Health Secretary Therese Coffey and Kwarteng at the Tory conference. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss speaks at the Conservative party conference, October 5, 2022. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss, who was seen as an indifferent public speaker, was always animated during her speeches at prime minister. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss arrives for a meeting of the European Political Community at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic. Photograph: Alastair Grant/Pool/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss chats with members of the England women's football team at the Lensbury Resort in Teddington, south west London, October 10, 2022. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/Pool/Reuters
IMAGE: King Charles III shakes hands with Truss during their weekly audience at Buckingham Palace, October 12, 2022. Photograph: Kirsty O'Connor/Pool/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss, clearly stressed, leaves the Houses of Parliament estate in London, October 17, 2022.
The prime minister was under siege within her party with most Tory MPs wanting her to step down. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss leaves 10, Downing Street for the weekly prime minister's questions in the House of Commons, October 19, 2022.
'I am a fighter, not a quitter!' she declared angrily. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
IMAGE: Truss announces her resignation, as her husband Hugh O'Leary stands nearby, outside 10, Downing Street, October 20, 2022. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/Reuters
IMAGE: Larry the cat sits outside 10 Downing Street following Truss' resignation speech, October 20, 2022. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
Photographs curated by Anant Salvi/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
