Royal officials released a photo of May curtseying to the monarch and confirmed the queen had “requested her to form a new administration”.
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That may be just what Britons are looking for after the June vote to leave the European Union unleashed political and economic turmoil inside the ruling Conservative Party and across world markets.
Buckingham Palace said Her Majesty “graciously accepted” Mr Cameron’s resignation after six years in power.
Minutes later, May arrived at the palace, accompanied by her husband Philip.
May emerged as the prime minister designate on Monday after her only rival, Andrea Leadsom, withdrew from the Conservative party leadership race triggered by the UK’s referendum last month in favour of Brexit.
Conservative backbenchers stood to cheer and applaud him as he left the chamber, turning to wave to his wife Samantha and children watching from the gallery.
“My advice to my successor, who is a brilliant negotiator, is that we should try to be as close to the European Union as we can be, for the benefits of trade, of co-operation and of security”, he said in parliament, with May sitting beside him. She appointed Boris Johnson as United Kingdom foreign secretary, a promotion that will put the former London mayor-one of the most high-profile politicians who campaigned for a British exit-into a major role in the new government.
European Council president Donald Tusk said he looked forward to a “fruitful working relationship” with her.
He went on to endorse Theresa May, saying he is “delighted that for the second time in British history the new Prime Minister will be a woman and once again, a Conservative”.
As home secretary, the 59-year-old May has been in charge of immigration and law and order for the past six years.
“There is a streak that we all saw which was to be really quite narrow in focus and reluctant to shift even when the facts seemed to be changing, and if that’s what happens when she’s prime minister we could find ourselves in difficulties”, Cable told BBC television. “And together, we will build a better Britain”.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said the German leader hasn’t personally met May yet but “will certainly have contact with her soon”.
David Cameron might have had an eye on a second, albeit less well-paid, career in stand-up comedy as he joked his way through his final round of Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament on Wednesday.
During the friendly session Wednesday he was praised for helping to reduce unemployment, fund the National Health Service and improve educational opportunities. There was some jousting with Jeremy Corbyn about the state of the opposition Labour Party. “As do I”, Cameron said as lawmakers responded in unison: “Awwwww!”
As David Cameron leaves office, public affection is thin on the ground with approval ratings at their lowest since he became prime minister in 2010.
Incoming British leader Theresa May has been greeted with cheers as she entered the House of Commons. Finally, someone recognized Cameron.
Her appointment came as she gave the Queen her hand and bent her knee in a traditional procedure known as “kissing hands”.
In his final speech as prime minister, delivered in front of 10 Downing Street with his family, David Cameron reflected on his achievements.
He emphasised that he would miss Larry, the Downing Street cat who will be staying on in the PM’s residence.
The competition for the Labour Party leadership has become more intense with the emergence of a third candidate.
“I believe Theresa will provide strong and stable leadership in fulfilling the Conservative manifesto on which we were elected”.
He says he would be a “radical and credible” leader.
The victor will be announced in late September.
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Despite the often bloodsport nature of PMQs, one of the beauties of the system is that the prime minister always gets the last word.
