King Charles III has been heard muttering “dear oh dear” during an audience with Prime Minister Liz Truss at Buckingham Palace.
Charles met Liz Truss on Wednesday evening, with the pair pictured shaking hands.
Footage of the Buckingham Palace meeting saw Ms Truss curtsy and say: “Your Majesty.”
Charles, smiling, replied: “Back again? Dear oh dear.”
King Charles III and Liz Truss
Kirsty O'Connor
Prime Minister Liz Truss departs 10 Downing Street
Stefan Rousseau
Ms Truss was heard to say: “It’s a great pleasure.”
It came after Ms Truss faced Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament, where she insisted she will not cut spending to balance the books as economists and the financial markets continued to question her plans.
Ms Truss told MPs she is “absolutely” not planning public spending reductions, but insisted taxpayers’ money will be used well.
Speaking during PMQs on Wednesday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asked the PM: "This morning, the Business secretary toured the TV studios arguing that the turmoil in the markets has nothing to do with her budget, does the Prime Minister agree with him?"
Before Ms Truss responded by saying: "What we have done, we have taken decisive action to make sure people are not facing energy bills of £6,000 for two years and I think we remember the opposition is only talking about six months.
"We’ve also taken decisive action to make sure we are not facing the highest taxes for 70 years in the face of a global economic slowdown.
"What we are making sure is that we protect our economy at this very difficult time internationally.
"And as a result of our action we will see higher growth and lower inflation."
To which the Labour leader hit back, saying: "Avoiding the question, ducking responsibility, lost in denial, no wonder investors have no confidence in her Government."
Separately, on Wednesday afternoon the King also met the King and Queen of Malaysia, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong.