Labour leader Andy Burnham officially takes office as UK Prime Minister after successive waves of government leadership turmoil over a decade.

According to a Buckingham Palace statement, Burnham formally accepted King Charles III's appointment as Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer after meeting him in the ceremony known as 'kissing hands,' the procedure symbolizing the transfer of power from outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer to his successor Burnham.

The king received Andy Burnham, who was Mayor of Greater Manchester, accompanied by his Dutch-born wife 'Marie-France van Heel.'

The new 56-year-old Prime Minister then headed to the government headquarters at 10 Downing Street in London, where he will officially assume his duties as successor to Keir Starmer, becoming the fourth Prime Minister under Charles since his accession to the throne in September 2022.

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Andy Burnham breaks a record in leading UK governments, as he will be the seventh Prime Minister in just 10 years (since 2016), due to the waves of political turmoil the country has seen recently, especially with the start of campaigns calling for Brexit.

Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office in July 2024 after a major victory for the Labour Party at that time, but announced his resignation last June due to several political, economic and media pressures and problems.

Starmer said in a speech surrounded by his aides and several ministers: 'I leave smiling, proud of everything we have achieved.' Saying that the United Kingdom today is 'stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.'