The Queen and her many Prime Ministers
Her Majesty the Queen's reign spanned 15 Prime Ministers
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II reigned for longer than any other monarch in British History and saw a huge amount of change, including having 15 UK Prime Ministers.
As Head of State, Her Majesty worked with both Conservative and Labour Prime Ministers, in what the official Royal website describes as "special" relationships.
Although not permitted to vote in elections and remaining firmly neutral on political matters, her role was actually very important, retaining the right to appoint the Prime Minister as well as inviting the winners of general elections to form a Government in her name.
One of her final acts as sovereign was to meet with Liz Truss and ask her to form a government.
She had weekly one-to-one confidential meetings with all the serving Prime Ministers which took place behind closed doors with no-one else present.
As we mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II, we've taken a look back at each of the Prime Ministers who served her during her reign.
1. Winston Churchill 1952-1955
Queen Elizabeth’s first Prime Minister when she came to the throne in 1952 was Conservative leader Winston Churchill.
While the Queen was only 25 when she ascended the throne, Churchill was 67 and already had years of experience to his name, having served as the Prime Minister from 1940-1945, before being re-elected in 1951.
The pair's relationship is thought to have been strong, with Queen Elizabeth granting permission for Churchill's state funeral, which are usually only held for members of the Royal family.
2. Anthony Eden 1955-1957
Churchill was succeeded by his deputy, Anthony Eden, in 1955. Eden is considered by many to be one of Britain’s least successful Prime Minister’s, serving for two years before resigning on the grounds of ill health.
3. Harold McMillan 1957-1963
Harold McMillan followed Eden, becoming Prime Minister in 1957. A former pupil of Eton school, his tenure lasted 6 years, during which time he appointed 35 fellow Etonians to Government posts. He resigned in 1963 after various scandals and growing concerns he was “out of touch”.
4. Alec Douglas-Home 1963-1964
Another Conservative politician took the reins in 1963, however Alec Douglas Home did not even hold office for a year, making his premiership the shortest of the Queen's reign.
5. Harold Wilson 1964-1970, 1974-1976
The Labour party won the 1964 general election, marking the end of the 13-year period that the Conservatives had held office.
Harold Wilson was the Queen’s first non-Conservative Prime Minister, leading the country for two stints during her Majesty’s reign, from 1964-1970 and 1974-1976.
It is reported that the Queen and Wilson had a strong relationship. Historian Francis Beckett, writing for BBC History magazine, even went as far as to say "after Churchill, Wilson may have been her favourite PM."
6. Edward Heath 1970-1974
Between Wilson’s two periods of premiership came Conservative leader Edward Heath, who led a Conservative Government from 1970-1974.
Sir John Major, another of the Queen's Prime Ministers, once revealed that Edward Heath had fallen asleep during a dinner with Her Majesty. According to Major, the Queen took it very well, saying: "he’ll wake up a little later and we’ll say nothing about it".
7. James Callaghan 1976-1979
Although Harold Wilson once again took office in 1974, he resigned as Prime Minister two years later making way for James Callaghan, who took on the role as Labour leader, and therefore Prime Minister, in 1976.
He held office until 1979 when the Conservatives took hold of Government.
8. Margaret Thatcher 1979-1990
Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister in 1979, making her the first woman to hold the role in Britain.
Her premiership lasted from 1979-1990, making her the longest serving Prime Minister of the 20th century.
In 1986, following a front-page story in The Sunday Times titled "Queen dismayed by 'uncaring' Thatcher", the Palace released a statement dismissing the claims.
The statement read: "As with all previous prime ministers, the queen enjoys a relationship of the closest confidentiality with Mrs. Thatcher and reports purporting to be the queen’s opinions of government policies are entirely without foundation.”
9. John Major 1990-1997
John Major succeeded Thatcher as both Conservative leader and Prime Minister in 1990, holding office for 7 years.
He once commented that his meetings with the Queen were completely private apart from her corgis who were often "scattered around" the room.
10. Tony Blair 1997-2007
In 1997, the Labour party won in a landslide victory making Tony Blair Prime Minister. He was the youngest Prime Minister in the UK since 1812 and Labour Party’s longest serving Prime Minister.
Blair has since spoken of his meetings with the Queen, stating that her "accumulated amount of experience and knowledge is immense and very valuable for whoever in Prime Minister."
11. Gordon Brown 2007-2010
Following Tony Blair’s resignation in 2007, his Chancellor Gordon Brown took office as Prime Minister. He was Prime Minister during the 2008 economic crash.
Following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh in April 2021, Gordon Brown said that when he used to ask the Queen about her husband, "you could see her eyes light up, and how much this partnership mattered to her, how much this bond between them was so strong."
He went on to describe the Queen and Prince Philip as "two great public servants who the country must be very grateful for".
12. David Cameron 2010-2016
2010 saw the return of a Conservative Government, with David Cameron as Prime Minister serving for six years before stepping down following the 2016 Brexit referendum.
He has since said that he asked for the Queen's help before the Scottish independence referendum in 2014. On the subject, the Queen advised people to "think very carefully about the future."
13. Theresa May 2016-2019
Theresa May took over from David Cameron in 2016, making her the second female Prime Minister of the UK.
Theresa May was criticised for her curtsey technique in front of members of the Royal Family, which according to etiquette experts looked "very awkward" as she stooped "so low".
14. Boris Johnson 2019-2022
In 2019, Theresa May resigned making way for former journalist and former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
Less than a year into Johnson's premiership, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, causing mass distress across the nation. Johnson himself took ill with Covid-19 and spent time in intensive care at the height of the first wave of the pandemic.
Boris Johnson was among the first to pay tribute to Prince Philip when he passed away aged 99 in April 2021.
15. Liz Truss 2022-present
After Boris Johnson resigned, Liz Truss went to Balmoral to visit the Queen in September 2022 and was asked to form a government.
Usually, this ceremony happens at Buckingham Palace, but the Queen was advised to stay in Balmoral due to ongoing mobility issues.
It was one of the last official duties Her Majesty undertook.
Queen Elizabeth - The longest serving UK Queen
The Queen was born in 1926
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born on 21 April 1926 to Their Royal Highnesses Duke and Duchess of York. Although this is her actual birthday, the Queen also celebrates her official public birthday on the second Saturday in June.
Royal sisters
In 1930 Princess Elizabeth's younger sister, Princess Margaret, was born. The two girls were educated at home rather than attending school. The family did not live at Buckingham Palace, because the Queen's father was not first in line to the throne. Instead, they resided in a town house in Piccadilly near the Ritz.
Princess Elizabeth becomes first in line to the throne
In 1936, the Queen's grandfather, King George V died, meaning his oldest son Edward, who was the Queen's uncle, would become King. However, Edward abdicated before he was even crowned, after the British government condemned his decision to marry Wallis Simpson, who had been divorced. As a result, the Queen's father Albert became King. He adopted his father's name in an attempt to restore faith in the monarchy which had been shaken by the abdication, and was crowned King George VI in 1937, making Princess Elizabeth first in line to the throne.
War time service
In 1940 at the age of 14, Princess Elizabeth made her first broadcasted speech on the radio, in which she encouraged evacuees to have hope. Five years later when she turned 19, Princess Elizabeth signed up to the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the female branch of the British Army, where she trained as a driver and mechanic.
The Royal engagement
Princess Elizabeth's engagement to Prince Philip was announced on 9 July 1946, when Princess Elizabeth was 21-years-old.
The Royal Wedding
Princess Elizabeth married Prince Philip on 20 November 1947 in Westminster Abbey. It is estimated around 200 million people tuned into the radio broadcast of the marriage of the future monarch.
The young Royal family
Princess Elizabeth gave birth to Prince Charles in 1948, while Princess Anne was born two years later.
Queen Elizabeth's coronation
King George VI died on 6 February 1952, making his oldest daughter Princess Elizabeth, Queen. One year later, on 2 June 1953, the official coronation took place and Princess Elizabeth was made Queen at the age of 27. Over 20 million people tuned in to watch the coronation on the TV.
First tour of the Commonwealth as Queen
Five months after the coronation, Queen Elizabeth II embarked on her first tour of the Commonwealth as reigning monarch. Over the course of the trip, she visited 15 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Libya and Fiji.
The Queen relationships with the Prime Minister
To date, 15 Prime Ministers have served under the Queen in the UK. As Head of State, the Queen has the right to appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister, however she must remain strictly neutral on political matters, and therefore does not vote in elections. When a party wins a general election, the outgoing Prime Minister offers the Queen their resignation before the incoming Prime Minister is officially invited by the Queen to form a Government in her name. The Queen meets weekly with her Prime Minister, and these meetings take place one-to-one in complete privacy.
Royal walkabout
The Queen came up with the famous Royal walkabout, which see's members of the Royal family greeting the locals who line the streets to meet them during visits. This tradition has now been passed down to the next generation of Royals.
A family of six
In 1960 Prince Andrew was born, followed by Prince Edward in 1964, completing the Queen's immediate family.
An animal lover
It is well known that the Queen is an animal lover, particularly of horses and dogs- she has owned more than 30 corgis throughout her time on the throne! Her love for horses has been passed down through the family, with Princess Anne riding in the 1976 Olympics, and her daughter, Zara Phillips, winning a Silver medal at London 2012 in the team event.
Diana's funeral
In August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car accident in Paris. In the aftermath of her death, the Queen and the Royal family were criticized by the press and the public for their response. The Queen's refusal to lower the Royal Standard to half mast angered some of the British public. This was again due to Royal protocol; the Royal Standard only flies when the Queen is in residence at Buckingham Palace, but at the time of Diana's death the Queen was at Balmoral. The Queen broadcast a live televised statement in tribute to Diana, where she said that she "admired and respected" her former daughter-in-law. The statement was viewed as important as it was only the second time in the Queen's reign that she had delivered a special address to the public.
Meeting state dignitaries
Over the years, the Queen has met thousands of dignitaries from around the world. The Queen hosts state visits in order to help strengthen bonds and relationships with other countries. People invited to visit the Queen include Presidents, Prime Ministers and other Monarchs. State banquets are often held to welcome the visiting guest, where a member of the Royal family, often the Queen, is likely to make a speech in their honour.
Christmas message
Every year the Queen records a special Christmas message, often referred to as the Queen's speech, reflecting on the events of the past 12 months. It's a tradition that was initiated by her father in 1932 and a duty she has fulfilled every year of her reign bar one. In 1969, the Queen issued a statement instead of the usual Christmas broadcast due to concerns the Royal family had been in the spotlight too much following the documentary, entitled 'Royal Family', which had aired earlier in the year.
Diamond Wedding anniversary
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated their Diamond Wedding anniversary in 2007. In a speech to mark their Golden Wedding celebrations in 1997, The Queen credited Philip with being her "strength and stay all these years."
Stamps and money
A portrait of the Queen features on British stamps, coins and English bank notes. The image of the Queen which features on the stamps and money has remained unchanged since 1967. Her profile faces left on postage stamps but to the right on coins. This is due to a tradition introduced by Charles II which means that the portraits on coins alternate the way they face with each Monarch. This means that when a new Monarch is coronated in Britain, their portrait will face left on coins, rather than right like Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen's honours
The Queen has the right to give titles of honour to people in public recognition of their achievements or services. The general public can nominate people they believe are worthy of an honour, and recipients receive their awards from the Queen or a member of the Royal family during special ceremonies. There are two honours lists each year, the Queen's birthday honours list and the New Year's honours list. The lists are usually composed of well known figures as well as members of the general public.
Prince Philip dies aged 99
The Queen's husband Prince Philip died on the 9th April 2021. Due to social distancing rules at the time, The Queen had to sit on her own at the funeral in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The Queen described the death of the Duke of Edinburgh as leaving "a huge void" in her life.
Longest reigning Monarch
The Queen is the UK's longest reigning monarch, but is the longest reigning female monarch in world history, surpassing Queen Victoria's 63-year reign in 2015.
The Platinum Jubilee
In 2022 the Queen celebrated the Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the throne. Long weekends, events at the palace and street parties like the one pictured from 2012 were all part of the celebrations.
The Queen at Balmoral
Queen Elizabeth II posed in the waiting room at Balmoral, Scotland where she later greeted new Prime Minister Liz Truss. The photo was taken just two days before The Queen sadly passed away.
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