Perhaps King Charles was being supportive to Liz Truss

The prime minister probably had a lot of unburdening to do at her audience with the monarch, says Sean O’Grady

King Charles III meets the prime minister during their weekly Wednesday audience at Buckingham Palace (PA)

There’s a surprising amount of commentary about the few casual words of greeting by the King to his first prime minister, just caught by the television cameras. “Dear, oh dear, anyway…” is the snatch of introduction we heard from Charles III as he greeted Liz Truss for her second audience and motioned for her to take a seat.

The King has been accused of mocking the prime minister, which would, potentially, make him a member of the notorious Anti-Growth Alliance (as if his credentials as an environmentalist weren’t sufficient for him to be viewed with maximum suspicion by the more zealous Trussters). The precise wording of the brief exchange is a little more ambivalent:

LT: “Your Majesty… Lovely to see you again.”