Queen calls Chinese officials “rude” a day after David Cameron heard describing Afghanistan and Nigeria “fantastically corrupt”
You wait months for a diplomatic incident and then two come along at once.
Hot on the heels of embarrassing footage being released of David Cameron calling the leaders of Afghanistan and Nigeria "fantastically corrupt", the Queen has been caught on camera calling Chinese officials "very rude".
The monarch, who was celebrating her 90th birthday at a soggy-looking Garden Party yesterday, was filmed talking to Metropolitan Police Commander Lucy D'Orsi.
After being told D'Orsi had overseen security during President Xi's visit to the UK in October, the Queen replied "Oh, bad luck".
An official explained that Commander D'Orsi had been "seriously, seriously undermined by the Chinese, but she managed to hold her own and remain in command".
Commander D'Orsi told the Queen: "I was the Gold Commander so I'm not sure whether you knew, but it was quite a testing time for…"
"I did," the Queen said.
Commander D'Orsi continued: "It was at the point they walked out of Lancaster House and told me that the trip was off, that I felt…"
The Queen said: "They were very rude to the ambassador."
Commander D'Orsi replied: "They were… it was very rude and undiplomatic I thought."
The Queen described it as "extraordinary".
So far there has been no reaction from the Chinese authorities, while Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on "private conversations".
Yesterday Prime Minister Cameron was caught on camera in conversation with the Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury talking about this week's anti-corruption summit in London.
"We've got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain… Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world," he was overheard saying.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who was elected last year after vowing to fight corruption, was "shocked" by the comments, the BBC reports. A senior Afghan official said the characterisation was "unfair".
But Boris Johnson – who is currently on the attack over the EU referendum – defended Cameron this morning.
"Most people will find it refreshing that he is speaking his mind and the more people who speak their mind, the better in my view," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.