As happened over the past days, phone calls were made and SMSs crossed as people vied to be in the know and others speculated whether Mr Dalli would resign from a minister only or even from an MP.

That Mr Dalli was about to resign, however, was never in real doubt. There was, as an observer said, a certain inevitability about it.

Ironically then, the notice by the DOI that a swearing-in ceremony was going to be held at the Palace at 1pm came in before the John Dalli’s letter of resination reached Castille. Officials at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), who were still awaiting the letter, were astounded to hear that DOI were announcing the swearing in.

The media congregated at The Palace door and almost immediately a beaming Dr Frendo and his wife arrived and were ushered in.

Prime Minister Gonzi arrived considerably later (and paler) and the swearing-in ceremony took place in The Palace’s Red Room where Mr Dalli had been sworn in as Foreign Minister just 102 days before. This is the first swearing-in ceremony conducted by Dr Edward Fenech Adami as President.

In the meantime the DOI started distributing copies of Mr Dalli’s letter of resignation and his reasons for doing so. This was a particularly damning document in which Mr Dalli made it clear he was resigning not because he was being attacked by the Labour Party but because he was being attacked from “other sides” as well.

On Bondiplus last week Mr Dalli had claimed he was being made the scapegoat for the PN’s election defeat. This time he blamed PBS journalist Ivan Camilleri and The Times for his downfall. “I cannot function in these circumstances,” he said.

It seems that certain journalists at The Palace knew beforehand the contents of Mr Dalli’s letter, as evidenced by the relentless questioning of Dr Gonzi and Dr Frendo.

On his part, Dr Gonzi denied this was a spin attack mounted by the PN media machine on Mr Dalli. And Dr Frendo had to fend off questions how he was feeling now that his direct superior had been forced out.

Dr Frendo will not inherit all Mr Dalli’s portfolio. While he becomes the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Promotion of Investment portfolio, including Malta Enterprise, was passed on to the ministry of Austin Gatt.