IF loose lips sink ships, Britain just lost its entire fleet. Now the Queen has been overheard commenting about how ‘rude’ a recent, high level - and highly sensitive - Chinese delegation had been.
The latest gaffe comes hot on the heels of Britain’s Prime Minister being caught on camera telling the Queen that Nigeria and Afghanistan are “fantastically corrupt” ahead of a major international anti-corruption summit.
But the Queen’s words were directed at a much more sensitive state: China.
‘THEY WERE VERY RUDE...’
While attending the UK summer’s first Buckingham Palace garden party, Queen Elizabeth was introduced to Metropolitan Police Commander Lucy D’Orsi.
She had been in charge of security for the October visit of President Xi Jinping.
The exchange was captured on film - and microphone - by the Queen’s personal cameraman, Peter Wilkinson
This is what the world overheard:
Lord Chamberlain: “Can I present Commander Lucy D’Orsi, who was Gold Commander during the Chinese state visit.”
The Queen: “Oh, bad luck.”
Queen Elizabeth II didn’t appear impressed during her chat with Prime Minister David Cameron. Picture: Paul Hackett - WPA Pool/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
Lord Chamberlain: “… and who was seriously, seriously undermined by the Chinese. But she managed to hold her own and remain in command...”
Commander D’Orsi: “Yes, I was the Gold Commander so I’m not sure whether you knew, but it was quite a testing time for me.”
Queen: “Yes, I did.”
Commander D’Orsi: “It was, er, I think at the point that they walked out of Lancaster House and told me that the trip was off, that I felt err…”
The Queen: “They were very rude to the ambassador.”
Cmdr D’Orsi: “They were, well, yes she was, Barbara was with me and they walked out on both of us.”
The Queen: “Extraordinary.”
CAMERON’S BLUNT BLUNDER
Leaders and representatives from more than 40 countries are today expected to arrive in London for the global summit, aimed at tackling systemic corruption by nations, individuals, in sport and by crime groups.
But just a day before it is to begin, the host Mr Cameron was recorded making unguarded candid comments about participants in a chat with the Queen.
“We’ve got the leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain,” he said at the function at Buckingham Palace, also attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow.
Mr Cameron went on: “Nigeria and Afghanistan possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world”.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II speaks with British Prime Minister David Cameron (second right) during a reception in Buckingham Palace in London. Picture: AFP/Pool/Paul HackettSource:AFP
The Queen is seen on the footage not responding but Archbishop Welby hastily adds: “But this particular president is actually not corrupt.”
Labour branded the incident a clear diplomatic gaffe and said it left the PM with “egg on his face”.
But Number 10 said no apology was necessary since both Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who are both planning to attend the summit, have acknowledged corruption in their countries and pledged to tackle the issue.
Asked whether Mr Cameron regretted his remarks, a Downing Street spokesman said: “Both leaders have been invited to the summit because they are driving the fight against corruption in their countries. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with them as they do so.”
They would not confirm whether or not the leaders’ had formally complained.
On camera, Mr Bercow is also heard making a joke about the summit, quipping: “They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?”
After some laughter, Mr Cameron answers: “Yes ... because it’s an anti-corruption summit, everything has to be open, so there are no sort of closed-door sessions, it’s all in front of the press. It’s going to be ... it could be quite interesting. But anyway ...”.
Whether by accident or design, the incident has raised the profile of the summit, which Australia’s Justice Minister Michael Keenan will also attend.
Australia has been given the honour of being asked to help formally create an unprecedented international anti-corruption body, to be formulated during the summit which comes in the wake of several sporting corruption scandals and the release of the Panama Papers leaks.
The documents reveal 12 national leaders among the 143 named politicians and their families who use or have used offshore tax havens, including Mr Cameron’s own family.
The latest gaffe comes hot on the heels of Britain’s Prime Minister being caught on camera telling the Queen that Nigeria and Afghanistan are “fantastically corrupt” ahead of a major international anti-corruption summit.
But the Queen’s words were directed at a much more sensitive state: China.
‘THEY WERE VERY RUDE...’
While attending the UK summer’s first Buckingham Palace garden party, Queen Elizabeth was introduced to Metropolitan Police Commander Lucy D’Orsi.
She had been in charge of security for the October visit of President Xi Jinping.
The exchange was captured on film - and microphone - by the Queen’s personal cameraman, Peter Wilkinson
This is what the world overheard:
Lord Chamberlain: “Can I present Commander Lucy D’Orsi, who was Gold Commander during the Chinese state visit.”
The Queen: “Oh, bad luck.”
Queen Elizabeth II didn’t appear impressed during her chat with Prime Minister David Cameron. Picture: Paul Hackett - WPA Pool/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
Lord Chamberlain: “… and who was seriously, seriously undermined by the Chinese. But she managed to hold her own and remain in command...”
Commander D’Orsi: “Yes, I was the Gold Commander so I’m not sure whether you knew, but it was quite a testing time for me.”
Queen: “Yes, I did.”
Commander D’Orsi: “It was, er, I think at the point that they walked out of Lancaster House and told me that the trip was off, that I felt err…”
The Queen: “They were very rude to the ambassador.”
Cmdr D’Orsi: “They were, well, yes she was, Barbara was with me and they walked out on both of us.”
The Queen: “Extraordinary.”
CAMERON’S BLUNT BLUNDER
Leaders and representatives from more than 40 countries are today expected to arrive in London for the global summit, aimed at tackling systemic corruption by nations, individuals, in sport and by crime groups.
But just a day before it is to begin, the host Mr Cameron was recorded making unguarded candid comments about participants in a chat with the Queen.
“We’ve got the leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain,” he said at the function at Buckingham Palace, also attended by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow.
Mr Cameron went on: “Nigeria and Afghanistan possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world”.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II speaks with British Prime Minister David Cameron (second right) during a reception in Buckingham Palace in London. Picture: AFP/Pool/Paul HackettSource:AFP
The Queen is seen on the footage not responding but Archbishop Welby hastily adds: “But this particular president is actually not corrupt.”
Labour branded the incident a clear diplomatic gaffe and said it left the PM with “egg on his face”.
But Number 10 said no apology was necessary since both Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who are both planning to attend the summit, have acknowledged corruption in their countries and pledged to tackle the issue.
Asked whether Mr Cameron regretted his remarks, a Downing Street spokesman said: “Both leaders have been invited to the summit because they are driving the fight against corruption in their countries. The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with them as they do so.”
They would not confirm whether or not the leaders’ had formally complained.
On camera, Mr Bercow is also heard making a joke about the summit, quipping: “They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?”
After some laughter, Mr Cameron answers: “Yes ... because it’s an anti-corruption summit, everything has to be open, so there are no sort of closed-door sessions, it’s all in front of the press. It’s going to be ... it could be quite interesting. But anyway ...”.
Whether by accident or design, the incident has raised the profile of the summit, which Australia’s Justice Minister Michael Keenan will also attend.
Australia has been given the honour of being asked to help formally create an unprecedented international anti-corruption body, to be formulated during the summit which comes in the wake of several sporting corruption scandals and the release of the Panama Papers leaks.
The documents reveal 12 national leaders among the 143 named politicians and their families who use or have used offshore tax havens, including Mr Cameron’s own family.
