This Woman Is Going To Be The U.K.’s Next Prime Minister

Update: Theresa May officially just became the second female prime minister in the history of the United Kingdom. May had an audience with Queen Elizabeth II, during which she formally accepted the position, the BBC reported. She is succeeding former Prime Minister David Cameron, who formally stepped down from the post today and who was one of the first political casualties following the Brexit referendum. He announced his resignation almost immediately after the results of the vote were made known in late June. As the new prime minister, May will have the Herculean task of guiding the United Kingdom through the aftermath of Brexit.

This story was originally published on July 11, 2016.

Theresa May is set to become the next prime minister of the United Kingdom.

May emerged as the top choice for leader of Britain's Conservative Party after a dramatic morning in which her rival, Andrea Leadsom, withdrew her candidacy. She will be the second female prime minister in the U.K.'s history. May, 59, is a member of Parliament who also serves as home secretary, a government representative who is responsible for issues like the police force and immigration, according to the BBC.

In a short statement, outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he will resign on Wednesday, according to the BBC. May will then take over as prime minister. In a statement, Leadsom said she didn’t believe she had enough support to enable her to lead a "strong and stable government." The member of Parliament had caused outrage after she controversially implied that being a mother would make her a better prime minister than May, who does not have children. Leadsom conceded that May was "ideally placed" to implement Brexit, and wished her former rival the "greatest success."