The Queen has met Grenfell Tower victims as rage continued to boil over Theresa May’s failure to personally meet them.
Downing Street claimed the prime minister could not meet with residents in the wake of the disaster because of “security concerns”.
But the Monarch and Prince William have arrived and now - amid fears the death toll could climb to more than 100 - fresh questions are being asked about May’s woeful response to the tragedy.
The Queen and Prince William spent half an hour at the site in Kensington, meeting survivors, firefighters and those still searching for missing loved ones.
A crowd of people were seen filming the monarch on their mobiles and applauded when she got in her car to leave.
May is expected to meet victims of the blaze who are being treated in hospital, but faces more criticism for choosing a “controlled environment”.
She will chair a cross Whitehall meeting at 1.30pm.
Meanwhile, Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom faced angry residents at the scene and attempted to defend her boss.
Leadsom, who said she was “there on behalf of the House of Commons” was then shouted at by a man in the crowd.
He said: “At least she could have met the victims. Corbyn is a good man and he’s met them. He came and and met the people. He didn’t come with a bunch of police. No-one even saw her.”
Leadsom replied: “As I say, I came here today because I wanted to meet the residents. I wanted to share their absolute horror and sorrow.
“I know a number of ministers who tried to come here more privately to meet residents and give practical support.”
The man hit back: “Why has Sadiq Khan and Corbyn come down here, not with bodyguards and police. They have come down here to speak to people, down to level.
“Is there anybody from your party down there?”
He even added: “Enough is enough. I have got friends in that tower block. I have got a right to be angry.”
Leadsom refused to answer a question on whether or not she would have made a better leader than Theresa May.
Asked by a reporter if the prime minister lacked “humanity”, Leadsom said: “The prime minister is absolutely heartbroken. I’m here as leader of the House of Commons on behalf of the Commons.
“We had an emergency briefing yesterday from the ministers responsible and the whole sense in the House of Commons is absolute horror and shock.
“I don’t think it is appropriate to talk about whether people have humanity or not.”
It comes after fellow Tory Michael Portillo told BBC This Week: “[Theresa May] met in private with the emergency services, a good thing to do no doubt, but she should have been there with the residents, which is what Jeremy Corbyn was.
“She wanted an entirely controlled situation in which she didn’t use her humanity.
“The Prime Minister would have been shouted at by the residents, but she should have been willing to take that.”
Meanwhile May’s newly-appointed chief-of-staff Gavin Barwell faces mounting criticism over claims he sat on a fire safety review when he was housing minister.
“I can’t comment I’m afraid,” he told Sky News as he walked towards Downing Street this morning.