Boris Johnson apologises to Queen Elizabeth for party on eve of Prince Philip’s funeral
- The monarch had sat alone as she bid her husband of 73 years farewell, in compliance with Covid-19 rules and in stark contrast to the revelry at Downing Street
- Johnson now faces the gravest crisis of his premiership, as calls for his resignation grow with each new ‘partygate’ revelation
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office apologised to Queen Elizabeth on Friday after it emerged that staff had partied late into the night in Downing Street on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral, at a time when mixing indoors was banned.
Johnson is facing the gravest crisis of his premiership after almost daily revelations about a series of social gatherings during Covid-19 lockdowns, some held when ordinary people could not bid farewell in person to dying relatives.
After building a political career out of flouting accepted norms, Johnson is now under growing pressure from some of his own lawmakers to quit. Opponents say he is unfit to rule and has misled parliament by denying Covid-19 guidance was breached.
In an extraordinary twist to a saga that has been widely lampooned by comedians and cartoon artists, The Daily Telegraph said drinks parties were held inside Downing Street on April 16, 2021, the day before Prince Philip’s funeral.
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Prince Philip, husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, dies at age 99
“It is deeply regrettable this took place at a time of national mourning and No. 10 [Downing Street] has apologised to the Palace,” Johnson’s spokesman told reporters.