The Queen’s biographer Robert Lacey has made comments on a blog claiming that Her Majesty asked her dinner guests for their opinions on Brexit
Lacey wrote a blog entry for the Daily Beast website reporting that The Queen opened up the EU debate telling those dining with her to “give me three good reasons why Britain should be part of Europe” and suggested that this could mean that Queen Elizabeth wishes for Britain to vote to leave the European Union.
He did however admit, he is not sure what Her Majesty’s opinion on the referendum is.
The Telegraph spoke to Buckingham Palace, who would not comment on the private matters of The Queen and her dinner conversations, saying: “We would not comment on private conversations the Queen may or may not have had, but the Queen is above politics, has remained politically neutral for the 64 years of her reign and we are very clear that the EU referendum is a matter for the British people.”
Other royal sources have suggested that “She appears to be asking a question, not making a statement. She is not expressing a view.”
There have been previous claims that The Queen was in favour of Brexit. The Sun newspaper’s headline “Queen backs Brexit” was found guilty of “significantly misleading” by the press regulator.
Officially Her Majesty is politically neutral, although she has had some slips up. The most recent being when she commented on the Chinese State visit, calling officials “rude’. In 2014, while talking to a member of the public, she wished that Scots would “think very carefully’ before voting in the Scottish referendum.
In 2014, while talking to a member of the public, she wished that Scots would “think very carefully’ before voting in the Scottish referendum. The press caught wind of it and it was seen as a sign of The Queen’s personal opinion of wanting Scotland to continue to be part of the United Kingdom.
When speaking to The Telegraph, Robert Lacey said: “She asked the question in the context of a general debate – she loves a bit of forthright discussion and this sort of remark is tossed around the dinner table like a ping pong ball. That is the way she frames her questions.”
Her Majesty the Queen is very careful that any of her remarks CANNOT be taken as her opinion on the matter,I think it is wrong to infer ANY from these questions and remarks.
Saying that Chinese officials were rude to some British officials is not a political opinion, it is an observation of a matter of fact, which by all accounts, was pretty accurate. The Scottish people certainly should have given careful thought to the future of their country, irrespective of which opinion they hold. There is nothing wrong with the Head of State of the United Kingdom asking her subjects to share their opinions with her. This is most certainly not political.
As for the Queen expressing her own opinion, she knows more about government and statecraft than every politician in the UK put together. She has performed her duties as Sovereign flawlessly for 64 years. Her family has been in government for a thousand years. I for one, am very interested in HM’s opinions, and I wish she were allowed to express them openly.
Well said! What is the big problem if the Queen expresses her opinion? She is after all human and it is her birthright to think. I totally agree with you that the country would benefit a lot more if she was allowed to talk openly. And many times what she has said is common sense. Chinese officials were rude and she gave the Scots sound advice. I don’t see a huge blunder in stating facts.
Speaking as one who’s not her subject, I feel that it’s a good idea to keep the sovereign above politics. She serves as the ultimate unifying factor in an increasingly fractured society.