There are Two photographs taken exactly seven weeks apart, Capturing the traditional and ceremonial rituals of a monarch meeting a new British prime minister to demand the formation of a new government.
They are there too The beginning and end of a story.
A lot happened between the two takeovers, leading a nation into mourning and then into a sharp and turbulent economic crisis: tectonic shifts, one after the other, the likes of which many in the country had not experienced.
Queen Elizabeth II met incoming Prime Minister Liz Truss on 6 September. After 70 years on the throne, the public saw the monarch for the last time in a film. His reign spanned two centuries, post-colonialism, Brexit and a pandemic.
For Truss, it was a fresh start, replacing Rishi Sunak (more on him later) for the Conservative Party leadership and handing him the keys to 10 Downing Street. His predecessor Boris Johnson was forced to resign amid a series of ethics scandals.
Rani, after long mobility problems, uses a cane and smiles. Truss can also be seen smiling as they shake hands, from a side angle. The queen died two days later.
For many, the crowd was overwhelming The dress is the highlight of the presidency. After that, it sped off the mountain and crashed and burned within 45 days. His libertarian economic policies caused convulsions in the markets and the pound sterling plunged to its lowest point against the dollar in almost 40 years.
And now, this week, another picture: former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, now the new prime minister, was pictured shaking hands with King Charles III on Tuesday.
The same Sunak called Truss’s economic plan a “fairy tale.” He may have had the last word with his predecessor, but he has the biggest hurdles ahead: one of Britain’s worst economic crises in modern history.
Britain adds its third head of government this year, with the most recent two taking office without a direct mandate from the British people: He was elected leader of the Conservative Party and automatically became Prime Minister.
There has been a clamor for a general election among the opposition parties and beyond. By law, that doesn’t have to be until 2024, and Sunak has said he won’t call one; After the recent upheaval, the Tories now face possible electoral defeat as they stand.
In the meantime, King Carlos III is secure in his position and is sure to stay ahead of the government. Elizabeth II met 15 prime ministers in her 70 years on the throne; Charles is second in less than two months. However, he is the oldest person to ascend the British throne.
Amid such confusion, Who knows what the next photo will show?
(With information from AP)
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