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Flashback: Truss calls for the monarchy’s abolition

It’s Liz versus Liz today as the Queen prepares to kiss hands at Balmoral with Britain’s 56th Prime Minister. While attention will focus this morning on Boris Johnson’s imminent resignation statement, it will thereafter shift to his successor, as she becomes Her Majesty’s 15th First Minister of her 70 year-long reign. But Truss is slightly different from Elizabeth II’s previous 14 premiers: she’s the only one to openly call for the abolition of the monarchy.

Archival footage remains of Truss delivering a fiery speech to the 1994 Liberal Democrat conference in which she talked of canvassing outside the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and (ironically) finding no support for the royals. When asked about the speech at a Tory hustings, Truss said that the Queen has been ‘far too polite’ to raise her past views whenever the two have met. Will that be the case today?

So much for being faithful and bearing true allegiance to her heirs and successors…

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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