How tall is Rishi Sunak? UK prime minister's height compared to world leaders as he meets with King Charles after monarch's cancer diagnosis

When Rishi Sunak took up his post as UK's Prime Minster on 10 Downing Street, he became a man of many firsts - the UK's first Hindu PM, the first of Asian descent, and the youngest PM in over 200 years. He also took on the infamous title of being the shortest male UK PM since Winston Churchill.

As per The Independent, Rishi Sunak's height became the subject of great fascination online when he first became Prime Minister. Standing at 5 ft 6 inches, Sunak was constantly dwarfed by several other world leaders.

His height once again came into question as the Prime Minster was seen with King Charles following the latter's cancer diagnosis. The visit, which took place on February 21, saw Sunak and the King shake hands, followed by a private 45-minute meeting.

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Rishi Sunak's 5ft 6-inch stature compared to that of other world leaders

At 170 cm or 5ft 6 inches, Rishi Sunak is the second-shortest male Prime Minister since the World War II hero Winston Churchill, who was 5 ft 5 inches, as per The Independent. Taking over the office from his predecessor Liz Truss in October 2022, Rishi Sunak quipped to journalists about the UK moving from its shortest-serving prime minister, Truss, to the shortest.

Rishi Sunak's height attracted the spotlight in March 2021, when, as Chancellor, he was pictured holding the famous red box in time for Budget in front of No 11. Standing on the first step ahead of his fellow Treasury ministers, Sunak was able to conceal his true height.

The Chancellor Of The Exchequer delivers the 2021 UK budget (Image via Getty Images)

When compared to other first-world leaders like US President Joe Biden, who is 5ft 10, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is 6ft 1, Sunak's height is a point of contention, as reported by The Daily Mail.

But he is not alone in his short stature, as the leaders of France, Russia, and Ukraine are all notably around the same height. France's very own Napolean Bonaparte is famously known for his height or lack thereof as he stands at around 5 ft 5.

According to The Independent, other leaders in this exclusive club that give Sunak company are French President Emmanuel Macron and Russia's leader Vladimir Putin, both 5 ft 7 inches, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, both around 5 ft 5 inches.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un stands at just 5 ft 2 inches.

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Rishi Sunak visited King Charles following his cancer diagnosis

Rishi Sunak arrived at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon for a meeting with the King, following the latter's cancer diagnosis early this February. Shaking hands with the King, Sunak claimed that it was "wonderful" to see the King look so well, the BBC reported.

At 5 ft 10 inches, King Charles should have been towering over Sunak, but video footage revealed that the two looked to be about the same height, which once again mystified netizens.

While the King has retired from his public duties during his treatment, he has kept up with his duties as head of state, which included weekly meetings with the Prime Minister.

The meetings served as an opportunity to bridge the gap between the politically neutral monarch and the ruling leader of the country to discuss the current affairs of the state.