David Cameron Is Britain's Prime Minister: Coalition Formed, Gordon Brown Resigns

After nearly a week of uncertainty, Conservative Party Leader David Cameron cobbled together a coalition government Tuesday and became Great Britain's youngest prime minister in almost 200 years.

Cameron met with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, where she formally asked him to form a government following the resignation of Labour Party Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who lost his majority in last week's parliamentary elections.

Cameron, whose Conservatives won the most seats but fell short of a majority, joined forces with the third place Liberal Democratic Party. Arriving with his wife Samantha at No. 10 Downing Street, Cameron declared that Britain's "best days lie ahead," the Associated Press reported. "We have some deep and pressing problems -- a huge deficit, deep social problems, a political system in need of reform," he said.

President Obama phoned Cameron to offer his "personal" congratulations. "As I told the prime minister the United States has no closer friend and ally than the United Kingdom," Obama said in a statement afer making the call. "I reiterated my deep and personal commitment to the special relationship between our two countries -- a bond that has endured for generations and across party lines, and that is essential to the security and prosperity of our two countries, and the world."

Obama also praised Brown for providing "strong leadership during challenging times."