UK prime minister Rishi Sunak said that he will never forget first private meeting with late monarch Queen Elizabeth II shortly after he took over at Treasury. Rishi Sunak said the late Queen had an ‘amazing historical perspective’ on the ups and downs of the British economy and revealed how a “very funny” audience with Queen Elizabeth II gave him confidence ahead of his first Budget as chancellor.
The UK prime minister said that her “amazing historical perspective” on the ups and downs of the British economy had helped calm him down calling for a “more permanent” way to recognise her 70 years of service.
The late Queen died on September 8 last year, and the prime minister said: “I have had the time to reflect even more about the just unbelievable contribution that she made to our country over such a prolonged period of time.
“The first time I properly sat down with her was before I gave my first Budget, which I didn’t actually realise was a thing because I got to chancellor quite quickly. I will never forget that moment. One of the highlights I have had in government was that time I spent with her and just talking about the economy and the country,” he said.
“She had just the most amazing historical perspective, having seen I don’t know how many dozens of chancellors over the years and all the ups and downs of the British economy. She had a great perspective on that, which actually gave me confidence. She was also very funny about things,” he recounted.
Rishi Sunak said his first visit to Balmoral, which took place last weekend, had got him “thinking about” the late Queen’s service.
“We should obviously think about, more permanently, the right way to recognise and celebrate everything that she did for our country,” he said.
