We take a look at the Prime Ministers the Queen liked… and the ones she didn’t
Her Majesty meets new PM Theresa May for the first time
FROM fatherly Churchill, to the icy Thatcher and a cocky young Blair, The Queen has seen no less than twelve prime ministers come and go.
Theresa May will the thirteenth PM with whom The Queen shares weekly audiences and annual visits to Balmoral.
Through war and peace, crisis and calm, the relationship with the Queen has been one that every prime minister has had to nurture.
She got on famously with some of them - but others, she was probably more than happy to see replaced.
Details of their weekly audiences are confidential, but over the years a picture has built up of what she really made of her various premiers.
Here we take a look at how they got on behind closed doors.
WINSTON CHURCHILL (1951-1955)
Despite his doubts they became close. The Queen declared him her favourite PM to meet “as it was always such fun”.
ANTHONY EDEN (1955-57)
Aware he had big shoes to fill, Eden was nervous around the Queen. But she found him a sympathetic listener to her concerns.
HAROLD MACMILLAN (1957-63)
Developed a warm relationship and he became one of her favourites, thanks largely to their mutual passion for political gossip.
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ALEC DOUGLAS-HOME (1963-64)
A PM who was already a friend – a childhood chum of her mother’s. Her problem was formalising an informal relationship.
HAROLD WILSON (1964-70 and 1974-76)
The first Labour PM of her reign. Very relaxed in each other’s company. He said his visits were like “going to see Mother”.
EDWARD HEATH (1970-74)
Heath failed to charm the Queen and they held wildly different views over her role in Europe and as head of the Commonwealth.
JAMES CALLAGHAN (1976-79)
Got on famously and both relished their weekly audiences as a moment of calm amid the political turmoil caused by the various strikes.
MARGARET THATCHER (1979-90)
Their six-month age gap was as close as they got. The Queen was said to find Maggie’s tendency to lecture irritating.
JOHN MAJOR (1990- 97)
Saw each other through tough times. He could be completely candid with her and saw their meetings as a chance to un-burden himself.
TONY BLAIR (1997-2007)
Not natural bedfellows. The Queen didn’t like his disregard for tradition and was concerned by some policies. He thought her out of touch.
GORDON BROWN (2007-10)
Got on well – she even jokingly imitated his Scots accent. But never very close – he did not get invite to Kate and Wills’ wedding.
DAVID CAMERON (2010-2016)
Her fifth cousin, twice removed. First saw him aged eight, with Prince Edward in school production Toad of Toad Hall.