Theresa May Appointed UK Prime Minister

LONDON— David Cameron is making a final appearance in the House of Commons as prime minister Wednesday before handing over to his successor, Theresa May.The prime ministerial Jaguar left 10 Downing St. in mid-morning, taking Cameron to Parliament.Cam...
Theresa May Appointed UK Prime Minister
New British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks to the media outside her official residence,10 Downing Street in London, Wednesday July 13, 2016. David Cameron stepped down Wednesday after six years as prime minister. AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
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LONDON—Theresa May entered No. 10 Downing St., on Wednesday as Britain’s new prime minister, following a bittersweet exit by David Cameron that was tinged with humor and regret.

“I was the future once,” Cameron quipped as he left office. But that future now belongs to May, and it involves instability, uncertainty and tough wrangling over Britain’s departure from the European Union.

Britain’s transition of power unfolded with startling speed since the June 23 referendum on EU membership. Cameron announced his resignation after voters rejected his appeal to stay in the 28-nation bloc, and May, the former home secretary, became Conservative Party leader Monday after an abbreviated contest in which her only remaining rival dropped out.

Then came Wednesday’s ceremonial choreography: Two trips to Buckingham Palace and two audiences with Queen Elizabeth II that ended with one prime minister out of a job and a new one curtseying to the monarch to begin her term.

May stood in front of the iconic door of No. 10 with her husband, Philip, as the 13th prime minister of the queen’s reign and the first woman to hold the job since fellow Conservative Margaret Thatcher served from 1979 to 1990.

New British Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May stand on the steps of 10 Downing Street in London, July 13, 2016.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
New British Prime Minister Theresa May and her husband Philip May stand on the steps of 10 Downing Street in London, July 13, 2016.AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth