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Liz Truss has become the UK’s new prime minister after meeting the Queen at Balmoral, where she was asked to form a government after the resignation of Boris Johnson, the Guardian reports.

Truss, 47, is the UK’s 56th prime minister and its third female leader. She is expected to return immediately to Downing Street and will give an address to the nation at about 4pm, before beginning to appoint her cabinet.

One of her first significant acts as prime minister is expected to be an announcement on plans to tackle the energy price crisis, with allies understood to be discussing a £100bn package to freeze bills.

Truss’s team has swiftly updated her Twitter profile to mark her new role. “Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Leader of the Conservative Party. MP for South West Norfolk,” the description states.

Key cabinet appointments are expected to be made later on Tuesday with junior roles following over the coming days. Truss is expected to appoint a cabinet of loyalists, including Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor, James Cleverly as foreign secretary and Suella Braverman as home secretary.

Johnson and his wife Carrie spent almost 40 minutes with the Queen before leaving Balmoral a few minutes before midday. Earlier, Johnson had hinted at a hope to return to frontline politics as he compared himself to a Roman statesman who was called back for a final battle.