As results trickled in, early victories for Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership hinted at a tough ride for the Conservative Party.
British newspapers summed it up in a word: Mayhem. The bearded, often rumpled Corbyn seemed to suffer from a chronic charisma deficit - until the campaign began.
With May severely weakened and forced to govern as head of a minority government, Britain's position on Brexit has suddenly become much murkier, and it isn't clear the embattled Prime Minister has the political strength, let alone the public backing, to force through her original hard Brexit vision.
"I obviously wanted a different result last night", a grim-faced May acknowledged, promising she would "reflect on what happened".
After inheriting a 17-seat overall majority in the House of Commons, May in April announced a snap election three years ahead of time, declaring she needed a stronger hand in the Brexit haggle.
Britain's typically right-wing press savaged May over the election outcome, questioning whether she will be able to remain in power after a result that leaves her reliant on uniting rival factions within her party to deliver Brexit.
The final result was announced nearly 24 hours after polls closed. Across the country, people voted Labour despite not liking Corbyn.
In an indication of the opposition to Mr Timothy and Ms Hill, former minister Anna Soubry had called for them to be sacked while Mrs May's former communications chief Katie Perrior, who left Downing Street when the election was called, hit out at their "rude, abusive, childish behaviour".
On Brexit, the DUP supports leaving the European Union but opposes a return to a "hard" border with Ireland - which could happen if May carries through her threat to walk away from the talks rather than accept a "bad deal".
"Five years of Conservative government, I just can't, I'm afraid, be a cheerleader for that particular outcome because this was an open goal for all of us".
Minority governments in Britain "have very bad track records - they always get torn apart".
Watch French Open Semi Final from Roland Garros
Wawrinka pointed to his right temple, as he often does to celebrate success on key points, and was on his way to the final. Wawrinka smashed 87 winners, mostly off his forehand to start with before the backhand joined the party in the second set.
Cutting a deal with the Democratic Unionists, which won 10 seats, may not be straightforward.
There was also unease within the party about the link-up with the DUP, which strongly opposes same-sex marriage and abortion. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson - a rising star in the party - tweeted a link to a speech she made in support of gay marriage, drawing on her own experiences as a lesbian Christian.
May's snap election call was the second time that a Conservative gamble on the issue of the U.K.'s relations with Europe backfired. Her predecessor, David Cameron, first asked British voters to decide in 2016 whether to leave the EU. When voters stunned him and Europe by voting to leave, he resigned, leaving May to deal with the mess.
He said the change in the political scenario was healthy.
"One of them is country, one of the others is LGBTI rights". The arguments the Conservative Party put forward in this election have lost. Many analysts said it was unlikely May could remain leader for long now that her authority has been eroded.
She asserted that would stay on as prime minister and that her plans for an European Union exit would go forward.
"Honestly, it feels nearly like she is nearly not aware of what has happened in the last 24 hours", Conservative lawmaker Heidi Allen told LBC radio.
Writing in The Times she said: "Mrs May condoned their behaviour and turned a blind eye or didn't understand how destructive they both were".
Corbyn's rise is one of the biggest surprises.
In Kensington, an overwhelmingly Conservative seat - but also overwhelmingly anti-Brexit - the vote was so close that recounting was suspended at 8 a.m. on Friday so that election officials could go home and rest.
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