The Queen overruled plans for Boris Johnson to allow more than 30 mourners to attend the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh because she wanted to ‘set an example.
According to Private Eye, Downing Street asked Buckingham Palace if they would accept a temporary easing of restrictions which would have allowed more mourners to attend Prince Philip’s funeral than was permitted by the rules at the time.
In April 2021, only 30 mourners were allowed to attend a funeral. These restrictions were not lifted until May, meaning the Duke’s funeral would have been an exception to the rule.
Private Eye reports that The Queen declined the offer on the basis of it being unfair to the many people who had also lost loved ones during the crisis, and that she did not want to be an exception to the rules, instead choosing to lead by example.
This further revelation comes at a difficult time for Downing Street.
Whereas The Queen has been widely praised for leading by example, various stories have emerged about the antics of the residents and staff at 10 Downing Street.
The Prime Minister is under significant pressure from many of his Conservative colleagues to resign following damaging revelations that numerous parties were held at Number 10 during the lockdown.
One such party took place in Downing Street the night before Prince Philip’s funeral, with attendees bringing suitcases full of booze and dancing until the early hours.
Boris Johnson was not at Downing Street that evening. However, the day after the revelations emerged, the PM issued an apology to The Queen.
However, he has been accused of attending other events.
Senior civil servant Sue Gray is leading an inquiry into the Downing Street gatherings. Her report is due to be published next week, with the Prime Minister’s future hanging on the findings.
