Kemi Badenoch holds one-to-one audience with King at Buckingham Palace – reviving royal convention after 19 years

TORY leader Kemi Badenoch held a one-to-one audience with the King yesterday — reviving a royal convention after 19 years.

Charles welcomed her to Buckingham Palace for their 30-minute chat.

The last opposition leader to get a formal audience in the months after their appointment was David Cameron, when he met with the late Queen in 2006.

It is not known why the tradition lapsed during Labour’s years in opposition.

A royal source said: “It was a convention that fell by the way in the latter years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign and seemed a courtesy to revive in the new one.”

The King holds a private weekly audience with the PM each Wednesday to discuss government matters.

Last week, Badenoch dismissed rivals Reform UK as a “protest party” — while Nigel Farage warned her he was coming for her seat.

The Tory leader’s put-down came as Mr Farage gathered 400 supporters in her constituency, North West Essex.

On the fifth anniversary of Brexit, he warned the Tories he would be a threat at the next election.

Latest polling put Reform in second place with 24 per cent, one point ahead of the Tories, and just two points behind Labour.

But Ms Badenoch, on a visit to a farm in Cheshire, said: “It’s not a surprise protest parties are gaining in the polls.

“I’m here talking about the family farm tax.

“That’s much more important than having a rally about myself.”

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