Theresa May Remembers Weekly Meetings With Queen Elizabeth

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, HOST: So, let me ask you because I think a lot of people are fascinated by the concept of the weekly audience. So much so that, as you know, a play has been made the audience of all her prime ministers and the imagination of the conversation. I know you’re not going to give us the conversations. But what is it like? Do you go and talk about government substance? Do you talk about the breaking news on what might be happening that day? Is it just personal? What is the point of these audiences?

THERESA MAY, FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Well, it ranges across a whole variety of issues. It is absolutely incredible. Because the first time you go as prime minister, certainly for me, it was a sense of trepidation. I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to pan out what was going to happen. It is a conversation. It’s a conversation between the head of state and the head of government. But it’s a conversation between two people. And it is about to the issues of the day. Not just in the U.K. but perhaps in the world issues. Her majesty is very well informed — was very well informed. The key thing was that I think many people didn’t realize, like government minister, she had a red box every day with government papers and other papers in that. And she would read through that. So, she knew and understood what was going on and had immense experience. I was our 13th prime minister. So, you know, by the time I was there, she had seen prime ministers come and go. She had seen issues come and go. She knew a lot of the world leaders I was dealing with, and in some cases, she knew their father’s. So, she had this immense experience and wisdom. So, it was a conversation between — and a very calm conversation. A moment of reflection for prime ministers in a — the hurly burly of politics.

AMANPOUR: I heard her say in a quote that’s been played since her death, that she felt that she was able to give a prime minister a, sort of, a neutral shoulder. An objective ear. They, you knew that whatever was said that room would not go any further than that. And I think you’ve said it was the only conversation I knew that would never be leaked to the press. What — that was a, sort of, a security blanket, right, for both of you?

MAY: Well, in a sense, yes. I mean, it was absolutely — we both knew that there was no way in which what you said to each other was going to go outside the room. And that was hugely important because did enable that more relaxed conversation to take place. And it was because the monarchy is above politics. It has nothing to do with politics. Therefor the monarchy is seeing issues from a slightly different angle. In a slightly different reflection. And that’s very helpful to a prime minister.