Friday January 14, 2022
Lockdown party before funeral
Johnson’s government apologizes to Queen
Strict contact restrictions apply in the UK in spring. The queen therefore sits alone on the pew at the funeral service for her husband. Ironically, in the London seat of government, the evening before is celebrated. After that revelation comes an apology.
The official residence of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has apologized to Buckingham Palace for two lockdown parties on the eve of Queen consort Prince Philip’s funeral. “It is deeply regrettable that this has taken place at a time of national mourning,” said Johnson’s spokesman in London. Johnson had already emphasized this week that behavior at the seat of government must meet the highest standards. Downing Street also takes responsibility “for things we didn’t do right”.
Johnson is already under massive pressure for breaching the Corona rules during the first lockdown in May 2020 and apologized for the misconduct before Parliament on Wednesday. It has now emerged that staff from the Prime Minister’s Office held another celebration – during the Corona lockdown and on the eve of Elizabeth’s husband Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021.
As the “Telegraph” reported, around 30 employees had been drinking and dancing in the office on April 16, 2021 until late at night. At that time, strict distance rules applied because of the corona pandemic. Regulations forced the Queen to sit alone in the chapel at her Windsor residence the next day when her husband of 73 years was buried there.
Johnson did not attend the celebrations, nor was he present at Downing Street. Prince Philip died on April 9, 2021 at the age of 99. A national mourning was held nationwide until his funeral on April 17.