THE removal vans arrived in the early hours of yesterday morning. To spare Mr Major's blushes, his furniture and belongings were packed via 10 Downing Street's back door, while he tendered his resignation at Buckingham Palace.
As large crowds gathered outside Whitehall to welcome the new British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, former Tory ministers and supporters visited Mr Major for the last time at Downing Street to offer their commiserations.
First was Lord Archer, who brought his close friend a gift wrapped in blue tissue paper. The crowd's boos and chants of "out, out" heralded the arrival of the Tory party chairman, Mr Brian Mawhinney. Then, at 11.15 a.m., the make up lady arrived, to powder Mr Major's nose for the last time.
Just minutes later, about 20 Downing Street staff lined the pavement to wave goodbye, while others leaned from the windows, many in tears, dabbing their eyes with tissues as they waited for their former boss to appear.
Accompanied by his wife, Norma, and their children, Elizabeth and James, Mr Major emerged from the front door at 11.20 a.m. Against the advice of many, he immediately announced his resignation as Conservative Party leader.
Evoking his father's theatrical past, Mr Major declared: "When the curtain falls, it is time to get off the stage. I shall, therefore, advise my parliamentary colleagues that it would be appropriate for them to consider the selection of a new leader of the Conservative Party to lead the party through the opposition years that lie immediately ahead."
However, Mr Major may be forced to remain in office for longer than he would like because so many of the "men in grey suits" who organise these contests have lost their seats.
As his daughter wept, Mr Major send his "warmest congratulations" to the Labour Party before stressing that it was a "very precious privilege" to serve as the British Prime Minister. Though clearly moved Mr Major remained dignified, but refused to answer journalists' questions.
"I hope you will forgive me if I say no more this morning," he added.
And with that, Mr Major climbed into the Prime Minister's official Daimler for the last time and sped off, late, to offer his resignation to Queen Elizabeth.
But as so often during his premiership he was forced to improvise as the cavalcade, blocked by traffic, had to speed the wrong way up the Mall.
Just minutes after Mr Major was driven out of Downing Street, police opened the huge iron gates, allowing hundreds of Labour supporters to line the pavements waiting to welcome his successor, Mr Blair.