What steps will Rishi Sunak follow to formally become UK's next PM? Read to know

Rishi Sunak will become the first UK PM to be appointed by King Charles III as he has been chosen as the leader of the governing Conservative party. So how does the leader of the Tory party become the UK PM? Before Rishi Sunak becomes the British PM, Liz Truss will visit King Charles at Buckingham palace and offer to formally stand down. Following this, Sunak will visit King Charles at Buckingham palace after an invitation from the monarch. 

Invitation by the monarch and the 'Kissing Hands' ceremony

King Charles will ask Rishi Sunak if he has the support to form the government, as the leader of the largest party, to which Sunak will reply yes. After that, the monarch will ask Sunak to form a government through a ceremony known as "kissing hands'', as per a report by the NYTimes. A report from BBC states that the prime minister does not actually kiss the hands of the monarch but brushes it gently with lips. Former British PM Tony Blair in his autobiography reportedly admitted that he found the ceremony a bit confusing.

Journey to 10 Downing Street and 1st speech as PM

After this ceremony, Sunak will be the official prime minister of the UK and he will head to 10 Downing Street, the official residence and office of the British Prime Minister. With the gates of 10 Downing Street in the background, Sunak will address the British people and make his first speech as the prime minister. After the speech, he will head into 10 Downing Street through the historical black door. As he enters inside 10 Downing Street, he will be greeted by the staff of 10 Downing Street, who would have lined up to wait for their new boss. 

Meeting with senior civil servants and appointing cabinet ministers

Rishi Sunak will have very little time to reflect on the fact that he is now prime minister of a nation and head of the party and master of the house in which once Winston Churchill lived and said, "Indians are not fit to rule, they need to be ruled". He will have to decide who he appoints as cabinet minister and who gets which  portfolio. Senior civil servants will meet him and hand over to him a giant pile of paper, which will detail how his policy goals will be achieved and what might be the hindrances. 

Rishi will receive the nuclear codes

As the UK is a nation with nuclear weapons, the prime minister will receive the UK's nuclear codes. As per the report by BBC, political historian Lord Peter Hennessy said that, "This is the moment they know what being prime minister is all about - no other job can prepare you for this." The reception of nuclear codes will be more sombre this time as unlike the peace time during which other prime ministers received the nuclear codes, Rishi Sunak will receive the nuclear codes at a time when the biggest war in Europe since the 2nd World War is underway. "If we had got to that point where it was, I felt, necessary to do it - then I would have done it. I've had terrible doubts of course about this. And I say to you that if I had lived after having pressed that button, I would never, never have forgiven myself," said former British PM James Callaghan back in 1988.

Receiving phone calls from foreign leaders

Next, Rishi Sunak will be busy on the phone, receiving wishes and congratulations from leaders of other countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already congratulated Rishi Sunak on Twitter but a phone call will still be on the cards. In general, the prime minister spends a few days receiving calls from foreign leaders and settling into his new house but perhaps Rishi won't have that leeway as his priority will be stabilising the UK's economy.  Meanwhile, White House stated that US President Joe Biden looks forward to speaking to Sunak.