Downing Street Apologises To Buckingham Palace For Parties Held Night Before Prince Philip's Funeral

Downing Street has apologised to Buckingham Palace after it emerged that a number of parties had been held at No 10 the night before Prince Philip's funeral.

The PM’s deputy official spokesman said: “It’s deeply regrettable that this took place at a time of national mourning, and No 10 has apologised to the Palace.

“You’ve heard from the Prime Minister this week, he’s recognised No 10 should be held to the highest standards and take responsibility for the things we did not get right.

“We have apologised to the Palace.”

Yesterday, reports emerged that Downing Street had hosted two 'boozy' parties on the eve of the funeral for Prince Philip's, who was laid to rest on 17 April last year.

Alamy

Eye witnesses told The Telegraph how there were two events being thrown at Number 10 on 16 April, despite lockdown rules preventing such behaviour.

One event was a leaving do for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's director of communications James Slack, while the other was reportedly a farewell for one of the Prime Minister's personal photographers.

An attendee reported that the two gatherings were held in different parts of Number 10 before eventually combining.

The next day, the Queen attended her husband Philip’s funeral wearing a face mask and socially distanced from her family at Windsor Castle, in line with Covid restrictions.

Alamy

Images of the British monarch sitting almost completely alone in the chapel broke people's hearts as social distancing rules required the funeral to be a small ceremony.

At the time, the UK was on Step 2 of easing out of lockdown, but the rules meant citizens couldn't socialise indoors with people from outside their households. People could only meet up in groups of six or two households outside.

Meanwhile, at Downing Street, staff were said to have been partying into the small hours of 17 April, with witnesses telling The Telegraph that there was dancing and 'excessive alcohol'.

People became 'worried there was too much wine spilling on the basement carpet' so they eventually moved upstairs.

These two parties add to a growing list of gatherings that Downing Street have been accused of hosting over the past two years while lockdown measures were in place.

While Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not attend either event, he now faces calls to resign over the supposed culture of rule-breaking and bending at Downing Street.

In a statement to LADbible yesterday (13 January), a Downing Street spokesperson said: "On this individual's last day, [James Slack] gave a farewell speech to thank each team for the work they had done to support him, both those who had to be in the office for work and on a screen for those working from home."