Queen authorises British PM to begin Brexit

(London) – Queen Elizabeth II gave royal assent to a bill empowering British Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty and begin the process of leaving the European Union.

May has said she will send a letter to the European Council informing them of Britain’s decision to leave the bloc by the end of March, following a majority vote for Brexit in last year’s referendum.

The House of Commons speaker John Bercow announced the final go-ahead in the parliamentary chamber, prompting cheers from ruling Conservative Party MPs.