London, 25 October 2022 (PA Media/dpa/MIA) — The nation’s first Hindu Prime Minister was welcomed to Buckingham Palace by the King and in a touching gesture, Diwali sweets were on offer. Charles performed his duty as head of state and formally appointed the new Conservative leader as the country’s third prime minister this year after a tumultuous few weeks. The two men met in the palace’s lavish 1844 Room and on a table were a selection of sweet treats marking Diwali – a five-day “Festival of Lights” celebrated this week by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, marking the triumph of good over evil. Mr Sunak’s rise to power has prompted a sense of pride among Indians, with India’s leader Narendra Modi earlier offering him “special” Diwali wishes as the “living bridge” of UK Indians. Sunak was born in Hampshire, south east England, to Indian migrant parents – a pharmacist mother and a GP father – and is married to Akshata Murthy, the daughter of billionaire Indian IT giant Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, with whom he has two young daughters Krishna and Anoushka. The politician was welcomed to Buckingham Palace by Sir Clive Alderton, principal private secretary to the King and Queen Consort, the monarch’s Equerry, Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson, and Sir Edward Young, the late Queen’s former private secretary who is now joint principal private secretary to the King. After warm handshakes from the royal aides, the Tory Party leader was ushered through the palace to the 1844 Room where he shared a laugh with the monarch before the audience began. On a side table were sweet treats that are eaten to celebrate the festival – which was publicly marked in 2020 by then Chancellor Mr Sunak who laid out a traditional rangoli decoration and lit diyas – oil lamps – at the doorstep of his official office number 11 Downing Street. The King and Prime Minister have met a number of times before, including a reception celebrating the British Asian Trust, established by Charles, and at a Prince’s Trust event in south London earlier this year where they visited a sports store. Earlier, outgoing Prime Minister Liz Truss tendered her resignation to the King and was later joined by her husband Hugh O’Leary and their daughters, Frances, 16, and Liberty, 13 for Ms Truss’ final audience as premier with the King. Meanwhile, Britain's opposition leader, Keir Starmer, welcomed the significance of the first Prime Minister of British-Asian origin taking the reins in No 10 at a meeting of the shadow cabinet on Tuesday. But he criticised Rishi Sunak’s politics, insisting he will “not deliver for working people”, according to a Labour party statement. A readout of the meeting stated: “Keir Starmer spoke to shadow cabinet this morning and welcomed the significance of Britain having our first British-Asian Prime Minister. “More broadly, the Labour leader said that Rishi Sunak has only ever fought one leadership election battle his entire life and ‘got thrashed’ by Liz Truss. And no wonder he doesn’t want to fight a general election.” Labour said Sir Keir claimed Mr Sunak can be “ruthless”, telling his top team: “Rishi Sunak stabbed Boris Johnson in the back when he thought he could get his job. And in the same way, he will now try and disown the Tory record of recent years and recent months and pretend that he is a new broom. “But he was also the chancellor who left Britain facing the lowest growth of any developed country, the highest inflation and millions of people worried about their bills. And now he plans to make working people pay the price for the Tories’ crashing the economy.” As the new British premier appoints his Cabinet, Jeremy Hunt has been re-appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Downing Street has said.