At 10:11 a.m., a devastated Theresa May walked back in through the black door of No. 10 Downing St., tears in her eyes. Once inside she found her husband, Philip, and the couple went through to the prime minister's private study together for a few moments alone.
For May, 62, it was the end she had dreaded but could no longer avoid. After three years battling the impossible contradictions of Brexit, she was resigning as U.K. prime minister, defeated at last.
As Philip, her closest confidant and most important adviser, comforted May in her moment of distress, none of the aides or officials gathered inside No. 10 wanted to disturb them.