King Charles Isn’t a Liz Truss Fan, Doesn’t Care Who Knows It

Photo: Kirsty O’Connor - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Perhaps when Liz Truss was a little girl, she dreamed of becoming prime minister of the United Kingdom. She’d have a weekly audience with Queen Elizabeth II, curtsying deeply while cosplaying her idol Margaret Thatcher. Despite her commitment to appearing nonpartisan, Her Majesty would let a small smile slip, clearly pleased to see another formidable woman joining her in leading Great Britain. Then the pair would sit down to discuss the Conservatives’ great vision for the country.

Truss did, of course, become prime minister. But just three days after the queen formally appointed her to the position, the monarch died. Then Truss rolled out a Thatcher-esque economic plan that wreaked havoc on financial markets and her popularity plummeted. At least she could count on a cordial greeting from King Charles as impartially performing ceremonial duties is kind of his whole raison d’être.

Or … not.

King Charles III could not, or maybe would not, conceal his lack of enthusiasm while greeting Truss at their weekly audience on Wednesday.

After curtsying, Truss stepped forward to shake his hand, saying, “Your majesty, lovely to see you again.”

“Back again?” Charles responded.

“Well, it’s a great pleasure,” Truss said.

“Dear, oh dear. Anyway,” the king said.

Some described this as King Charles “accidentally” making his feelings known, and he has been having some difficulty hiding his emotions, especially during his repeated battles with fancy pens. But Charles definitely knew this meeting was being recorded for posterity, and the clip was released by Buckingham Palace. Maybe Charles is just savage and has no compunction about letting his people know he dislikes Truss just as much as they do.