Liz Truss has become the new British prime minister, replacing Boris Johnson in the post.

Each had an audience with Queen Elizabeth this morning at the monarch’s Balmoral estate to make the transition official, after members of the governing Conservatives gave Truss the party leadership on Monday.

Political experts say the 47 year old former secretary for international trade needs to confront the enormous tasks ahead of her including increasing pressure to curb soaring prices.

She will also need to ease labor unrest and fix a health care system burdened by long waiting lists and staff shortages.

At the top of her list is the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine threatens to push energy bills to unaffordable levels, shutter businesses and leave the nation’s poorest people possibly without heat this winter.